barf
To barf is to vomit or throw up. The contents of a person’s stomach come up through the esophagus and out of a person’s mouth. This is something that almost everyone does, but it’s not pleasant to talk about. The word “barf” is used literally when a person really gets sick:
- A student barfed during class and was sent home because of illness.
- He must be sick because he barfed.
- After drinking all night, Todd barfed when he got home.
- It smells like someone barfed.
- There’s barf all over the floor. (In this sentence, the word “barf” is used as a noun.)
He’s about to barf.
The word “barf” is a strong word that is often used figuratively as a form of exaggeration:
- That makes me want to barf.
- This food tastes like barf.
- Oh barf.
Other words that are used in place of barf are puke, upchuck, and spew. However, these are not polite words. The polite way to speak about a person who barfs is to say that person got sick.
- She barfed in class. (not very polite)
- She got sick in class. (polite)
- She said she was about to barf. (not polite)
- She said she was about to get sick. (polite)