Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
garb
garbage
garbage can
garbage collector
garbage disposal
garbage truck
garbageman
garbanzo
garble
garbo
garboard
garbology
garçon
Garda
garda
Garda, Lake
gardaí
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "garbled" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

garble

gar·ble [ grb'l ]


transitive verb  (past and past participle gar·bled, present participle gar·bling, 3rd person present singular gar·bles)
Definition:
 
1. jumble meaning of something: to confuse a message or information so that it is misleading or unintelligible
He garbled the details, but the outline of the story is clear.

2. communication scramble transmission of something: to cause the corruption of a transmitted message or signal
The announcement was completely garbled.



noun  (plural gar·bles)
Definition:
 
1. confused message: a confused or corrupted message, piece of information, or signal that is misleading or unintelligible

2. confusing of message: the act of confusing or corrupting a message, piece of information, or signal so that it is misleading or unintelligible

[15th century. Via Italian garbellare "sift" and Arabic ġarbala< late Latin cribellum "small sieve" < Latin cribrum "sieve"]

gar·bled adjective
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft