gorge
UK[ɡɔːdʒ]US[ɡɔːrdʒ]
n
A narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.
n
The contents of the stomach.
v
To eat a large amount greedily; fill oneself with food.
Etymology
The word 'gorge' entered English from Old French, where 'gorge' meant "throat." This French term itself descended from the Vulgar Latin 'gurga', a variant of the classical Latin 'gurges' meaning "whirlpool" or "gulf." The semantic journey is a vivid example of metaphorical extension: from the churning, engulfing nature of a whirlpool, the meaning shifted to the throat as the passage that swallows, and then further extended to describe a deep, narrow valley that seems to "swallow" a river or a traveler. The modern verb sense, "to eat greedily," directly connects to this original throat-related meaning.
Analysis
The word 'gorge' is a simplex loanword from Old French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within its current English spelling.
Examples
The hikers carefully navigated the steep trails of the river gorge.
After the feast, his gorge rose at the thought of more food.
He would gorge himself on popcorn during movie marathons.