Gargling

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of producing a noise by pushing air through a liquid in the throat A means of rinsing the throat and mouth with a liquid A method to alleviate throat discomfort by mixing air and liquid for sound effects
2. The act of forcing air through liquid in the throat to create a bubbling sound ; the practice of cleansing the mouth and throat using a liquid rinse
3. Making a gargling noise by moving air and liquid around the throat ; swishing liquid in the mouth to freshen or clean the oral cavity

Etymology: "Gargling" is the present participle of "gargle," so the history belongs to the verb itself. The word comes from French "gargouiller," meaning "to gargle," which grew out of Old French "gargouille," a word for the throat that also gave us "gargoyle." The link is physical: the bubbling, gurgling sound of liquid in the throat was the image behind both words, and the same sound-sense ran into the stone water spouts of medieval buildings, which were shaped to gurgle water away from walls. English had a rival already in place. Old English speakers used "swillan" for gargling, a word that survives today as "swill," meaning to rinse or drink greedily. English then borrowed a Latin-derived verb, "gargarizare," for the same act, but the French-based form won out and pushed that borrowing aside. The result is that a common medical habit carries a name that began as a description of throat sounds, not of medicine.

Synonyms: rinse, swish, mouthwash