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swallow - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'swallow' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Swallow [ n.]
- Any one of numerous species of passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, especially one of those species in which the tail is deeply forked. They have long, pointed wings, and are noted for the swiftness and gracefulness of their flight.
- Any one of numerous species of swifts which resemble the true swallows in form and habits, as the common American chimney swallow, or swift.
- The aperture in a block through which the rope reeves.
- The act of swallowing.
- The gullet, or esophagus; the throat.
- Taste; relish; inclination; liking.
- Capacity for swallowing; voracity.
- As much as is, or can be, swallowed at once; as, a swallow of water.
- That which ingulfs; a whirlpool.
2 . Swallow [ v. i.]
- To perform the act of swallowing; as, his cold is so severe he is unable to swallow.
3 . Swallow [ v. t.]
- To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet, or esophagus, into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink.
- To draw into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; to absorb -- usually followed by up.
- To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly.
- To engross; to appropriate; -- usually with up.
- To occupy; to take up; to employ.
- To seize and waste; to exhaust; to consume.
- To retract; to recant; as, to swallow one's opinions.
- To put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation; as, to swallow an affront or insult.

Meaning of 'swallow' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . swallow [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a small amount of liquid food
Example in sentence:
  • a sup of ale
Meaning (2):
- the act of swallowing
Example in sentence:
  • he took a drink of his beer and smacked his lips;
  • one swallow of the liquid was enough
3 . swallow [ v]
Meaning (3):
- believe or accept without questioning or challenge
Example in sentence:
  • Am I supposed to swallow that story?
Meaning (4):
- take back what one has said
Example in sentence:
  • He swallowed his words
Meaning (5):
- tolerate or accommodate oneself to
Example in sentence:
  • I shall have to accept these unpleasant working conditions;
  • I swallowed the insult;
  • She has learned to live with her husband's little idiosyncrasies
Meaning (6):
- keep from expressing
Example in sentence:
  • I swallowed my anger and kept quiet
Meaning (7):
- utter indistinctly
Example in sentence:
  • She swallowed the last words of her speech
Meaning (8):
- pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
Example in sentence:
  • Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!
Meaning (9):
- enclose or envelop completely, as if by swallowing
Example in sentence:
  • The huge waves swallowed the small boat and it sank shortly thereafter
Meaning (10):
- engulf and destroy
Example in sentence:
  • The Nazis swallowed the Baltic countries

Nearby Words:

swa swab swabbed swabber swabbing swad swaddle swaddlebill swaddled swaddler

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