Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense gargles, present participle gargling, past tense, past participle gargled
1. verb
If you gargle, you wash your mouth and throat by filling your mouth with a liquid, tipping your head back and using your throat to blow bubbles through the liquid, and finally spitting it out.
Try gargling with salt water as soon as a cough begins. [VERB]
At the sink, Neil noisily gargled something medicinal. [VERB noun]
2. countable noun [usually singular]
A gargle is a liquid which is used for gargling.
The mixture can be used as a gargle several times a day.
gargle in British English
(ˈɡɑːɡəl)
verb
1.
to rinse (the mouth and throat) with a liquid, esp a medicinal fluid, by slowly breathing out through the liquid
2.
to utter (words, sounds, etc) with the throaty bubbling noise of gargling
noun
3.
the liquid used for gargling
4.
the sound produced by gargling
5. British informal
an alcoholic drink
what was her favourite gargle?
Derived forms
gargler (ˈgargler)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Old French gargouiller to gargle, make a gurgling sound, from gargouille throat, perhaps of imitative origin
gargle in American English
(ˈgɑrgəl)
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈgargled or ˈgargling
1.
to rinse or wash (the throat) with a liquid kept in motion by the slow expulsion of air from the lungs
2.
to utter or speak with the sound of gargling
noun
3.
a liquid used for gargling
4.
a gargling sound
Word origin
Fr gargouiller < gargouille, throat, waterspout, gargoyle < echoic base *garg- > Gr gargarizein, to gargle, Sans gharghara-h, gurgling
gargle in the Pharmaceutical Industry
(gɑrgəl)
Word forms: (present) gargles, (past) gargled, (perfect) gargled, (progressive) gargling
verb (transitive) (intransitive)
(Pharmaceutical: Administration)
If you gargle, you wash or medicate your mouth and throat by filling your mouth with a liquid, tipping your head backand using your throat to force air through the liquid, and finally spitting it out.
If you gargle hydrogen peroxide, be careful not to swallow it as you tilt your head back.
Gargle the mouthwash in the throat, then spit it out.
If you gargle, you wash or medicate your mouth and throat by filling your mouth with a liquid,tipping your head back and using your throat to force air through the liquid, andfinally spitting it out.
Examples of 'gargle' in a sentence
gargle
This effective remedy can be used as a gargle or sipped slowly.
Martlew, Gillian & Silver, Shelley Stay Well This Winter (1989)
He told me to gargle with aspirin and hit it with throat sweets.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
gargle
British English: gargle VERB
If you gargle, you wash your mouth and throat by filling your mouth with a liquid, tipping your head back, and using your throat to blow bubbles through the liquid, and finally spitting it out.
Try gargling with salt water as soon as a cough begins.