Squelch

/skwɛltʃ/ verb

Definition

To make a soft sucking sound, or to suppress or crush something completely.

Etymology

Possibly imitative in origin, appearing in English in the 1600s. It may be influenced by 'squash' and 'belch,' creating a word that mimics the muddy, wet sound it describes.

Kelly Says

This word is wonderfully onomatopoetic—if you say it out loud while thinking about walking through mud, your mouth almost makes the sound! It's one of English's most playful-sounding words.

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