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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024swal•low1 /ˈswɑloʊ/USA pronunciation
v.
- Physiologyto take (food or liquid) down the throat with a muscular action: [~ + object]He couldn't swallow the meat.[no object]I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry.
- to take in so as to assimilate, absorb, or cause to disappear:[~ (+ up) + object]He'll be swallowed (up) in a crowd if he goes to such a big university.
- to accept without question, suspicion, or opposition:[~ + object]He swallowed her lies about going out for a drive.
- to keep in or suppress (emotion, pride, etc.):[~ + object]He swallowed his anger and spoke quietly in reply.
- to take back;
retract:[~ + object]If he makes another statement like that I'll make him swallow his words!
- to pronounce (words) poorly;
mutter:[~ + object]She seems to swallow her words, especially at the ends of sentences.
n. [countable]
- Physiologyan act or instance of swallowing:a nervous swallow before answering.
- an amount swallowed at one time:one more swallow of this medicine.
swal•low2 /ˈswɑloʊ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
- Birdsa small, long-winged, fork-tailed songbird noted for its swift, graceful flight.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024swal•low1
(swol′ō),USA pronunciation v.t.
- Physiologyto take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.
- to take in so as to envelop;
withdraw from sight;
assimilate or absorb:He was swallowed by the crowd.
- to accept without question or suspicion.
- to accept without opposition;
put up with:to swallow an insult.
- to accept for lack of an alternative:Consumers will have to swallow new price hikes.
- to suppress (emotion, a laugh, a sob, etc.) as if by drawing it down one's throat.
- to take back;
retract:to swallow one's words.
- to enunciate poorly;
mutter:He swallowed his words.
v.i.
- Physiologyto perform the act of swallowing.
n.
- Physiologythe act or an instance of swallowing.
- a quantity swallowed at one time;
a mouthful:Take one swallow of brandy.
- Physiologycapacity for swallowing.
- Naval TermsAlso called crown, throat. [Naut., Mach.]the space in a block, between the groove of the sheave and the shell, through which the rope runs.
- bef. 1000; (verb, verbal) Middle English swalwen, variant of swelwen, Old English swelgan; cognate with German schwelgen; akin to Old Norse svelgja; (noun, nominal) Middle English swalwe, swolgh throat, abyss, whirlpool, Old English geswelgh (see y-); akin to Middle Low German swelch, Old High German swelgo glutton, Old Norse svelgr whirlpool, devourer
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged eat, gulp, drink.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged engulf, devour.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged gulp, draught, drink.
swal•low2
(swol′ō),USA pronunciation n.
- Birdsany of numerous small, long-winged passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, noted for their swift, graceful flight and for the extent and regularity of their migrations. Cf. bank swallow, barn swallow, martin.
- Birdsany of several unrelated, swallowlike birds, as the chimney swift.
- bef. 900; Middle English swalwe, Old English swealwe; cognate with German Schwalbe, Old Norse svala
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
swallow /ˈswɒləʊ/ vb (mainly tr)- to pass (food, drink, etc) through the mouth to the stomach by means of the muscular action of the oesophagus
- (often followed by up) to engulf or destroy as if by ingestion
- informal to believe gullibly: he will never swallow such an excuse
- to refrain from uttering or manifesting: to swallow one's disappointment
- to endure without retaliation
- to enunciate (words, etc) indistinctly; mutter
- (often followed by down) to eat or drink reluctantly
- (intransitive) to perform or simulate the act of swallowing, as in gulping
n - the act of swallowing
- the amount swallowed at any single time; mouthful
Etymology: Old English swelgan; related to Old Norse svelga, Old High German swelgan to swallow, Swedish svalg gulletˈswallowable adj ˈswallower n swallow /ˈswɒləʊ/ n - any passerine songbird of the family Hirundinidae, esp Hirundo rustica (common or barn swallow), having long pointed wings, a forked tail, short legs, and a rapid flight
Etymology: Old English swealwe; related to Old Frisian swale, Old Norse svala, Old High German swalwa
'swallow' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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