Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to have a drink.

1889		Sporting Times 3 Aug. 5/5: We gargled [F&H].
1899		C. Rook Hooligan Nights 37: Young Alf, being about to gargle, set down his glass.
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 1 Jan. 4/7: He’ll drop his pals who gargle much / And take to psalms and psalters.
1905		Marvel III:55 3: Deuce take me, man, why don’t you gargle?
1919		A. Baer Two and Three 4 Feb. [synd. col.] Down in Georgia they gargle near-beer.
1936		R. Chandler ‘Goldfish’ in Red Wind (1946) 173: We’ll go to my place and gargle.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1967		J. Wynnum I’m a Jack, All Right 36: You’ve got a bloody big hangover from gargling.
1983		R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 11: Lighting up an African he gargled on slowly.
1992		R. Price Clockers 496: That bastard used to gargle down a fifth of scotch a night.