Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To swallow greedily or rapidly in large amounts.
  • intransitive verb To choke back by or as if by swallowing.
  • intransitive verb To choke or gasp, as in swallowing large amounts of liquid.
  • intransitive verb To swallow air audibly, as in nervousness.
  • noun The act of gulping.
  • noun A large amount swallowed at one time.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An act of swallowing; a swallow; also, as much as is swallowed at once.
  • To swallow eagerly or in large draughts; hence, figuratively (with down), to repress (emotion) as if by swallowing it.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To swallow eagerly, or in large draughts; to swallow up; to take down at one swallow.
  • transitive verb to throw up from the stomach; to disgorge.
  • noun The act of taking a large mouthful; a swallow, or as much as is awallowed at once.
  • noun colloq. A disgorging.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The usual amount swallowed.
  • noun The sound of swallowing.
  • noun A sound of swallowing indicating fear.
  • verb To swallow.
  • verb To react nervously by swallowing.
  • interjection Indication of an involuntary fear reaction.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
  • noun a spasmodic reflex of the throat made as if in swallowing
  • verb utter or make a noise, as when swallowing too quickly
  • noun a large and hurried swallow

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English gulpen or from Flemish or Dutch gulpen.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word gulp.

Examples

  • Every gulp is conscious, difficult, near-desperate, the flailing of a decked fish.

    Waldo Jaquith - Me and my flu at 4:30 AM. 2006

  • Think about it, if you went to med school you'd still be in ... gulp ... school.

    A Villain's Soliloquy 2005

  • He takes a gulp from a flask of brackish water and strains in the saddle as his horse slips and rights itself, sending stones bouncing down a steep, dry slope.

    Excerpt: The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru 2002

  • There's nothing for it but to - "gulp" - open the can.

    Archive 2007-02-01 Matthew Sanborn Smith 2007

  • There's nothing for it but to - "gulp" - open the can.

    An Epic Tale of Love and Can-Opening Matthew Sanborn Smith 2007

  • Yes | No | Report from fishallday wrote 34 weeks 1 day ago better call the gulp guy, we've got an infestation on our hands!

    Caption Contest: Write the Best... 2009

  • Yes | No | Report from fishallday wrote 34 weeks 1 day ago better call the gulp guy, we've got an infestation on our hands!

    Caption Contest: Write the Best... 2009

  • While, the reaction of the leading executives to the incident in the gulp is a sign that leadership in the industry is becoming more connected with the possibilities of failures leading to similar catastrophes, much of the responsibility sits with the various boards of directors and the governance procedures which are supposed to guide them.

    Reuters: Top News 2010

  • It is found that ment of disease does not predestine only three met - the method of treatment of disease in the time of the hods of healing namely a gulp of honey, cupping, and Prophet (s. a.w) was considered advance method gi - branding with fire (cauterizing).

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • I could hear a distinguishable "gulp" eminating from Colonel W-S's throat.

    Sudan Battle Report Der Alte Fritz 2008

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.