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to gurgle

to gurgle

27 3.7
To make a bubbling sound like water moving in a bottle
  • verb
  • /ˈɡɜrɡəl/
translation icon : gorgotear
  • His joke finished, Mangan erupted with a paean of gurgling laughter that caused a ripple effect.
  • gurgling sound

He said he heard you gurgling was the word he used.

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Examples

  • Jody stood on the porch and listened to the trout stream gurgling in the distance.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • As the water boiled, it started to gurgle in the pot.

  • There were a few minutes while the water began to gurgle down through the dry pipe.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • So what's happening is when I flush it, it will come up very high and the shower over here will gurgle there.

  • Out of his throat came a gurgling sound and then another.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • When you break apart, the water gurgles up and then refreezes very quickly.

  • The flask tipped and pink Chablis commenced to gurgle out, though not a drop hit the floor.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • All the women laugh, and Delilah, through her bandages, makes a gurgling sound, and Little Sue's eyes light up.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • As we approached the tents, a gurgling moan rose above the chants.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The pipes hadn't entirely frozen, but only a gurgling trickle flowed out of the faucet.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to bubble
vsto gurgle
22 2.0

To move and make soft gurgling sounds in water

is more focused on the irregular, bubbly sound like drinking or small flows
to burble
vsto gurgle
5 7.5

To make a soft low sound like water moving over stones

is less continuous and more irregular, including brief drinking or pouring noises
to babble
vsto gurgle
2 4.2

Make a soft bubbling sound as water moves over stones

is similar but can describe shorter or more uneven bubbling noises
to bloop
vsto gurgle
1 6.7

To make a short, soft popping sound in a liquid

denotes longer or more irregular bubbling sounds like flowing or drinking
to guggle
vsto gurgle
1 9.9

To make a soft bubbling sound when liquid moves or someone pours it

is used for bubbling sounds more generally, not only when pouring or drinking
to glug
vsto gurgle
1 8.1

To make a gurgling sound when liquid pours from a bottle

is broader and applies to many bubbling or irregular liquid sounds
to purl
vsto gurgle
  • Archaic
9.3

To flow quietly and make a soft, pleasant sound like a small stream

is more about bubbling or irregular drinking sounds rather than soft murmur
popple
vsto gurgle
  • Archaic
9.4

A light bubbling or popping sound made by water

is used for more continuous or irregular bubbling sounds, not only light pops

How Bubbling

to gush
26 3.2
to bubble
32 1.0
to gurgle
27 3.7
to trickle
70 3.4
drip
44 1.0

Surface Forms

gurgle infinitive
gurgled past
gurgled past participle
gurgling present participle
gurgles third person singular

Etymology

Gurgle comes from copying the small bubbling sound water makes in a bottle or in the throat, much like the familiar word gargle. So, to gurgle is to 'make a soft bubbling or throat sound'.