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Garble

//ˈɡɑː(ɹ)bəl// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
Confused or unintelligible speech. countable, uncountable
"The FCC says it decided to attempt standardization of VHF receivers after getting "thousands of complaints" from disgruntled boatmen who found their sets brought in mostly a lot of garble and static."
2
Refuse; rubbish. countable, obsolete, uncountable
3
Mutilation. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Did not the lady smile upon the garble"
4
Impurities separated from spices, drugs, etc.; garblings. countable, obsolete, uncountable

Verb

1
To pick out such parts (of a text) as may serve a purpose not intended by the original author; to mutilate; to pervert.
"to garble a quotation"
2
make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story wordnet
3
To make false by mutilation or addition.
"The editor garbled the story."
4
To corrupt; to make unreadable, incomprehensible, or unintelligible.
5
To sift or bolt; to separate the fine or valuable parts of (something) from the coarse and useless parts, or from dross or dirt. obsolete
"to garble spices"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English garbelen, from Anglo-Norman garbeler (“to sift”), from Medieval Latin garbellare (or a similar Italian word), from Arabic غَرْبَلَ (ḡarbala, “to sift”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English garbelen, from Anglo-Norman garbeler (“to sift”), from Medieval Latin garbellare (or a similar Italian word), from Arabic غَرْبَلَ (ḡarbala, “to sift”).

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