gargle

noun

1. Obsolete form of gargoyle.

verb

Etymology: From French gargouiller (“to gargle”), from Old French gargouille, gargole (“gutter, throat”). Compare gargoyle and Spanish garganta. Displaced non-native Middle English gargargisen (“to gargle”) from Latin, and native Old English swillan (“to gargle”) (ancestor of English swill).

1. To clean one's mouth by holding water or some other liquid in the back of the mouth and blowing air out from the lungs.

   “She hated the poisoned feeling in her throat, and no matter how often she gargled she felt unclean and disgusting.”

2. To make a sound like the one made while gargling.
3. To clean a specific part of the body by gargling (almost always throat or mouth).

   “They don't gargle their throats with anything stronger than coffee at this tavern.”

4. To use (a liquid) for purposes of cleaning one's mouth or throat by gargling.

   “Every morning he gargled a little cheap Scotch.”

5. To perform oral sex on (a person or genitals).

   “I'd like to gargle his marbles.”