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deglutition |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.03 sec. |
swallowingor deglutitionAct that moves food from the mouth to the stomach. The tongue pushes liquid or chewed food mixed with saliva into the pharynx. Reflex takes over as the soft palate rises to close off the nasal cavity; the larynx rises and the epiglottis covers the trachea, interrupting breathing. Pressure in the mouth and pharynx pushes food toward the esophagus, whose upper sphincter opens to let food in and closes to prevent backflow. Breathing resumes as the larynx lowers. As peristalsis pushes food to the stomach, the lower esophageal sphincter opens and then closes to prevent reflux. Painful swallowing is usually caused by inflammation; other problems are caused by blockage or disorders affecting the motions of swallowing. deglutition [‚dē‚glü′tish·ən] (physiology) Act ofswallowing. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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In a pause of mastication and deglutition, Lady Tippins, contemplating Mortimer, recalls that it was at our dear Veneerings, and in the presence of a party who are surely all here, that he told them his story of the man from somewhere, which afterwards became so horribly interesting and vulgarly popular. "They are indeed exquisite," he said; "but as they are necessarily submitted to the process of deglutition -- a function which it is frequently impossible for a fainting person to accomplish -- I prefer my own specific. |
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