To slurp means to drink or eat something liquid or semi-liquid noisily, making a loud sucking sound as you do it. When you slurp hot soup from a spoon, you draw it into your mouth quickly with air, creating that distinctive slurping noise. Kids often slurp the last bits of a milkshake through a straw, making that gurgling sound when the cup is nearly empty.

In most Western cultures, slurping is considered impolite at the dinner table. Parents often remind children to eat soup quietly or drink without making noise. But in Japan and some other Asian countries, slurping noodles is perfectly acceptable and can show appreciation for the food. When eating ramen or soba noodles, Japanese diners slurp enthusiastically, and nobody minds.

The word slurp is onomatopoeia, meaning it sounds like what it describes. Say it out loud: doesn't “slurp” sound exactly like the noise itself? Other similar words include sip (quiet, small drinks) and gulp (swallowing large amounts quickly, but not necessarily noisily).