gulp

Meanings

Noun

• The usual amount swallowed.
• The sound of swallowing, sometimes indicating fear.
• An unspecified small number of bytes, often two.

Verb

• To swallow eagerly, or in large draughts; to swallow up; to take down in one swallow.
• To react nervously by swallowing.

Origin

• From Middle English gulpen, probably from West Flemish or Middle Dutch gulpen, golpen, probably of imitative origin.
• Related to West Frisian gjalpe, gjalpje, gjealpje, Danish gulpe, gylpe, dialectal Swedish glapa, Old English gealpettan. More at galp.