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gar·gle

(gärgəl)

v. gar·gled, gar·gling, gar·gles

v.intr.

1. To force exhaled air through a liquid held in the back of the mouth, with the head tilted back, in order to cleanse or medicate the mouth or throat.

2. To produce the sound of gargling when speaking or singing.

v.tr.

1. To rinse or medicate (the mouth or throat) by gargling.

2. To circulate or apply (a medicine or solution) by gargling.

3. To utter with a gargling sound.

1. A medicated solution for gargling.

2. A gargling sound.

[French gargouiller, from Old French.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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