swallow Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a small amount of liquid food
    sup.
    • a sup of ale
  2. noun the act of swallowing
    drink; deglutition.
    • one swallow of the liquid was enough
    • he took a drink of his beer and smacked his lips
  3. noun small long-winged songbird noted for swift graceful flight and the regularity of its migrations
  4. verb pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
    get down.
    • Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!
  5. verb engulf and destroy
    • The Nazis swallowed the Baltic countries
  6. verb enclose or envelop completely, as if by swallowing
    eat up; bury; immerse; swallow up.
    • The huge waves swallowed the small boat and it sank shortly thereafter
  7. verb utter indistinctly
    • She swallowed the last words of her speech
  8. verb take back what one has said
    take back; withdraw; unsay.
    • He swallowed his words
  9. verb keep from expressing
    • I swallowed my anger and kept quiet
  10. verb tolerate or accommodate oneself to
    live with; accept.
    • I shall have to accept these unpleasant working conditions
    • I swallowed the insult
    • She has learned to live with her husband's little idiosyncrasies
  11. verb believe or accept without questioning or challenge
    • Am I supposed to swallow that story?

WordNet

Swal"low noun
Etymology
OE. swalowe, AS. swalewe, swealwe; akin to D. zwaluw, OHG. swalawa, G. schwalbe, Icel. & Sw. svala, Dan. svale.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of passerine birds of the family Hirundinidæ, 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. ✍ The most common North American species are the barn swallow (see under Barn), the cliff, or eaves, swallow (see under Cliff), the white-bellied, or tree, swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), and the bank swallow (see under Bank). The common European swallow (Chelidon rustica), and the window swallow, or martin (Chelidon urbica), are familiar species.
  2. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of swifts which resemble the true swallows in form and habits, as the common American chimney swallow, or swift.
  3. (Naut.) The aperture in a block through which the rope reeves. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Swal"low transitive verb
Etymology
OE. swolewen, swolwen, swolhen, AS. swelgan; akin to D. zwelgen, OHG. swelahan, swelgan, G. schwelgen to feast, to revel, Icel. svelgia to swallow, SW. svälja, Dan. svælge. Cf. Groundsel a plant.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Swallowed ; present participle & verbal noun Swallowing
Definitions
  1. To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet, or esophagus, into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink.
    As if I had swallowed snowballs for pills. Shak.
  2. To draw into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; to absorb -- usually followed by up. Milton.
    The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses. Num. xvi. 32.
  3. To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly.
    Though that story . . . be not so readily swallowed. Sir T. Browne.
  4. To engross; to appropriate; -- usually with up.
    Homer excels . . . in this, that he swallowed up the honor of those who succeeded him. Pope.
  5. To occupy; to take up; to employ.
    The necessary provision of the life swallows the greatest part of their time. Locke.
  6. To seize and waste; to exhaust; to consume.
    Corruption swallowed what the liberal hand Of bounty scattered. Thomson.
  7. To retract; to recant; as, to swallow one's opinions. "Swallowed his vows whole." Shak.
  8. To put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation; as, to swallow an affront or insult. Syn. -- To absorb; imbibe; ingulf; engross; consume. See Absorb.
Swal"low intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To perform the act of swallowing; as, his cold is so severe he is unable to swallow.
Swal"low noun
Definitions
  1. The act of swallowing.
  2. The gullet, or esophagus; the throat.
  3. Taste; relish; inclination; liking. Colloq.
    I have no swallow for it. Massinger.
  4. Capacity for swallowing; voracity.
    There being nothing too gross for the swallow of political rancor. Prof. Wilson.
  5. As much as is, or can be, swallowed at once; as, a swallow of water.
  6. That which ingulfs; a whirlpool. Obs. Fabyan.

Webster 1913