Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🗿 A stone figure 🗿 To decorate with figures
to gargoyle

to gargoyle

1 9.9
To add carved stone figures to a building like those on old churches
  • verb
  • /ˈɡɑrɡɔɪl/
translation icon : adornar con gárgolas
  • They gargoyled the fountain to give it a medieval appearance.

Examples

  • The artist gargoyled the new fountain beautifully.

  • Many historic buildings have been gargoyled to create a dramatic effect.

  • The cathedral was gargoyled with fantastic stone creatures along its roofline.

  • They decided to gargoyle the church with intricate designs.

  • The artist decided to gargoyle the fountain, adding unique and bizarre creatures to its design.

  • They chosen to gargoyle the entrance of the church with figures that would both surprise and intrigue visitors.

  • The architect wanted to gargoyle the new building, ensuring it had a distinctive and whimsical appearance.

Idioms

to look like a gargoyle
  • Offensive
9.8

To look very ugly and frightening like an old stone statue

How Sculpted

to gargoyle
1 9.9
to sculpt
57 4.3
to carve
272 2.1
to decorate
226 1.9
to paint
854 1.0

Surface Forms

gargoyle infinitive
gargoyled past
gargoyled past participle
gargoyling present participle
gargoyles third person singular

Etymology

The verb gargoyle comes from the same old French gargouille ('throat') and the idea of gargle, so to gargoyle a building is to add carved, grotesque figures that act as water 'spouts'. This links the name to the action: you are giving the building things that send water away.