To gargle means to rinse your throat by holding liquid in the back of your mouth, tilting your head back, and making a bubbling sound as air passes through it. When you gargle with salt water, you might tip your head back, say “ahhhhhh” with your mouth open, and hear that distinctive gurgling noise as the water swishes around your throat.

People gargle for different reasons. If you have a sore throat, your doctor might suggest gargling with warm salt water to help it feel better. Some people gargle with mouthwash after brushing their teeth. The bubbling action helps the liquid reach all around your throat and the back of your mouth.

The word can also describe the sound itself. A sink making a gargling noise might have something stuck in its drain, causing water to bubble and gurgle as it tries to flow through.

Learning to gargle takes practice, especially figuring out how to breathe and keep the liquid from going down your throat instead of staying where you want it. If you've ever accidentally swallowed while trying to gargle and started coughing, you know exactly what that learning curve feels like.