1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4What the liquor was I do not know, but it was not so strong but that I could swallow it in great gulps and found it less burning than my burning throat.
The sound of swallowing.
A sound of swallowing indicating fear.
Sinclair Jungle|17Little Stanislovas was also trembling, and all but too frightened to speak. "They — they sent me to tell you — " he said, with a gulp.
1994, James Charles Collins, Jerry I. Porras, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary CompaniesIndeed, the envisioned future should produce a bit of "the gulp factor" …, there should be an almost audible "gulp".
Verb
To swallow eagerly, or in large draughts; to swallow up; to take down at one swallow.
CowperHe does not swallow, but he gulps it down.
FieldingThe old man ... glibly gulped down the whole narrative.
1930, P. G. Wodehouse, A Damsel in Distress, 2004, page 198The man eyed Percy with a chilly eye. "Well," he said, "What's troublin you?" Percy gulped. The man's mere appearance was a sedative. "Er-nothing! …"
2003, Carl Deuker, High Heat, page 140I'd always been nervous-excited; this was nervous-terrified. When I finished puking, I sat down gulping air for a while, trying to pull myself together.
2006, Nancy Anne Nicholson, Thin White Female in No Acute Distress: A Memoir, page 187My heart was beating madly and I was gulping nervous energy.
Synonyms
(mouthful, or to drink) See also
Interjection
Indication of an involuntary fear reaction.
1982, Gary Smalley, If Only He Knew, page 163"Honey, I know you want to go to their home next week, hut there's one thing that keeps happening when we're together that really drives me away from social gatherings in general. (Oh, what is it … gulp.) Well, I'm not sure I can really explain it without offending you. (Gulp, gulp.) Do you really want to talk about it? (Yes.) …"
