gulp / gəlp/ • v. [tr.] swallow (drink or food) quickly or in large mouthfuls, often audibly: he smiled and gulped his milk. ∎  breathe (air) deeply and quickly: we emerged to gulp great lungfuls of cold night air. ∎  [intr.] make effortful breathing or swallowing movements, typically in response to strong emotion: fumes seeped in until she was forced to gulp for air she gulped back the tears.• n. an act of gulping food or drink: she swallowed the rest of the coffee with a gulp. ∎  a large mouthful of liquid hastily drunk: Titch took a gulp of beer and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. ∎  a large quantity of air breathed in. ∎  a swallowing movement of the throat: the chairman gave an audible gulp.PHRASES: at a gulp with one gulp: having emptied his glass at a gulp, Roger pulled out a cigar.DERIVATIVES: gulpy adj.

gulp Rare Several, usually two, bytes.

Gulp

a mouthful; a small amount; few in number.

Examples: gulp of air, 1700; of cormorants; of swallows; of tea, 1865; of cold water, 1755; of wine, 1862.

gulp swallow hastily or greedily XV; gasp, choke XVI. prob. — MDu. gulpen swallow, guzzle, of imit. orig.