garble

Meaning

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.
2. To make false by mutilation or addition.
3. To corrupt; to make unreadable, incomprehensible, or unintelligible.
4. (obsolete) To sift or bolt; to separate the fine or valuable parts of (something) from the coarse and useless parts, or from dross or dirt.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Confused or unintelligible speech.
2. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Refuse; rubbish.
3. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Mutilation.
4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Impurities separated from spices, drugs, etc.; garblings.

Synonyms

distort

falsify

warp

mix up

misrepresent

confuse

twist

pervert

jumble

juggle

doctor

🧑‍⚕️

mull

pick

⛏️

pick out

rig

select

shorten

sophisticate

sort

truncate

twist around

choose

wrench

🔧

adulterate

belie

bust

confounding

contort

convolute

cook

🧑‍🍳

entangle

forge

mangle

Translations

estropier

διαστρέφω

truncar

bozmak

bozma

αλλοιώνω

entstellen

tronquer

confundir

verstümmeln

déformer

dénaturer

barajar

tahrif

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɡɑː(ɹ)bəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: garbelen

In summary

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”).