garble
UK: ˈɡɑːb(ə)l | US: ˈɡɑːrb(ə)l
vt. to distort or mix up (a message, information, or sound) in a confused or misleading way
vt. to select or remove parts of (a text or data) in a way that alters its meaning
The word "garble" traces back to medieval trade, where Arabic merchants used sieving (gharbala) to sort spices. Italian adopted it as garbellare, and English later shortened it to "garble," shifting from literal sifting to metaphorical distortion—reflecting how incomplete or selective filtering can misrepresent information.
Poor phone connections often garble voices, making conversations hard to understand.
The journalist was accused of garbling the facts to fit a biased narrative.
Ancient scribes sometimes garbled texts when copying manuscripts by hand.
Automated translation tools may garble idiomatic expressions.
The spy deliberately garbled the message to confuse interceptors.