1 C1 idiomatic slang
To block or clog a pipe, filter, or passage with a sticky substance.
"The old drain was completely gobbed up with grease and hair."
separable
gob up
C1 slang separable transitive
To block or clog something with a sticky or phlegm-like substance.
In plain English
To fill something up so it gets stuck or blocked, like snot or goo.
What does "gob up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 slang
To spit or expel a lump of mucus or phlegm.
"He gobbed up a lump of phlegm and spat it on the ground."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
'Gob' refers to a lump of something sticky or wet; 'gob up' means to fill something with such lumps.
Actually means
To fill something up so it gets stuck or blocked, like snot or goo.
Usage tip
Very informal British English. Rarely used outside of informal speech. 'Gob' here refers to a lump of a wet or sticky substance. Can also refer to spitting something up.
Words that pair with "gob up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
drain pipe filter nose throat engine
How to conjugate "gob up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
gob up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gobs up
he/she/it
Past simple
gobed up
yesterday
Past participle
gobed up
have + pp
-ing form
gobing up
continuous
Hear "gob up" in the wild
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