1 A2 neutral
To swallow a drink or liquid rapidly and in large mouthfuls.
"He gulped down his coffee and ran out the door to catch the bus."
separable
gulp down
A2 neutral separable transitive
To swallow food or drink quickly and in large mouthfuls.
In plain English
To drink or eat something very fast, swallowing big mouthfuls.
What does "gulp down" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To eat food quickly, swallowing large bites with little chewing.
"She gulped down her lunch in five minutes and went straight back to work."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
(Figurative) To suppress or swallow an emotion or reaction with effort.
"He gulped down his anger and replied as calmly as he could."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To gulp something down the throat — largely transparent.
Actually means
To drink or eat something very fast, swallowing big mouthfuls.
Usage tip
Very natural and common in everyday speech. Applies to both food and drink, though more frequently used with liquids. Can also describe swallowing air or emotions (e.g. 'she gulped down her fear').
Words that pair with "gulp down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
water coffee medicine food air beer
How to conjugate "gulp down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
gulp down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gulps down
he/she/it
Past simple
gulped down
yesterday
Past participle
gulped down
have + pp
-ing form
gulping down
continuous
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