1. (v. t.) To sift or bolt, to separate the fine or valuable parts of from the coarse and useless parts, or from dross or dirt; as, to garble spices.

2. (v. t.) To pick out such parts of as may serve a purpose; to mutilate; to pervert; as, to garble a quotation; to garble an account.

3. (n.) Refuse; rubbish.

4. (n.) Impurities separated from spices, drugs, etc.; -- also called garblings.

Aesopian language Babel Greek adulterate argot babble ball up becloud belie bias bollix up burlesque camouflage cant caricature cipher code color complicate conceal confound confuse contort corrupt cryptogram disguise distort doctor double Dutch dress up embellish embroider exaggerate falsify foul up fudge fumble get one wrong get wrong gibberish gift of tongues gild gloss gloss over glossolalia gobbledygook hide jargon jumble make unintelligible mangle mask misapply misapprehend miscite miscolor misconceive misconstrue misdeem misdirect misexplain misexplicate misexpound misinterpret misjudge misquote misread misrender misreport misrepresent misstate mistake misteach mistranslate misunderstand misuse mix up muck up muddle mumble mutilate mutter mystify noise obfuscate obscure overdraw overstate parody pervert pi play hob with riffle scramble screw up secret language shadow shuffle slang slant snafu snarl up squeeze strain strain the sense titivate torture travesty trick out tumble twist twist the words understate varnish warp whitewash wrench