-garble-

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Garbled p. pr. & vb. n. Garbling. ] [ Formerly, to pick out, sort, OF. grabeler, for garbeler to examine precisely, garble spices, fr. LL. garbellare to sift; cf. Sp. garbillar to sift, garbillo a coarse sieve, L. cribellum, dim. of cribrum sieve, akin to cernere to separate, sift (cf. E. Discern); or perh. rather from Ar. gharbāl, gharbil, sieve. ] 1. To sift or bolt, to separate the fine or valuable parts of from the coarse and useless parts, or from dros or dirt; as, to garble spices. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To pick out such parts of as may serve a purpose; to mutilate; to pervert; as, to garble a quotation; to garble an account. [ 1913 Webster ]