garble

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   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. 2
   verb

   To make false by mutilation or addition.

   The editor garbled the story.

3. 3
   verb

   To sift or bolt; to separate the fine or valuable parts of (something) from the coarse and useless parts, or from dross or dirt.

   To garble spices.

4. 4
   noun

   Confused or unintelligible speech.

   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.

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”).

Topics