Your ShelfYour Projects
Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Swallow

Swăl'low, n.

noun

(swŏl'lō), n. [A-S. swalewe, swalewe, D. zwaluw, O. H. Ger. sualawa, M. H. Ger. swalewe, swalwe, N. H. Ger. schwalbe, Icel. & Sw. swala, Dan. swale.] (Ornith.) A small bird with long wings, a forked or pointed tail, and small hooked feet. The gape of the mouth is very wide, though the beak is short. They feed on insects, which they seize while on the wing. The chimney-swallow of Europe is Hirundo rustica; the American chimney-swallow is a swift. See SWIFT. The barn-swallow of the United States is H. (rufa) hordeorum. The sea-swallow of the arctic seas is Sterna arctica.

An illustration of a swallow perched on a branch above foliage.
Swallow. House Martin (Hirundo urbica).

Swal'lōw, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SWALLOWED; p. pr. & vb. n. SWALLOWING.] [A-S. swelgan, swilgan, O. H. Ger. suelahan, suelhan, M. H. Ger. swelhen, swelgen, N. H. Ger. schwelgen, L. Ger. swalgen, swelgen, D. zwelgen, Icel. svelgja, Sw. svälja, Dan. svälge; Icel. svelgr, Sw. svalg, Dan. svälg, M. H. Ger. swalch, L. Ger. swalg, O. Ger. schwalg, the throat, gullet.]

Sense 1. To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet or esophagus into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink.

Sense 2. To draw into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; to absorb;—usually followed by up. “In bogs swallowed up and lost.” Milton.

The earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up. Num. xvi. 32.

Sense 3. To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly. “Though that story . . . be not so readily swallowed.” Browne.

Sense 4. To engross; to appropriate.

Homer . . . has swallowed up the honor of those who succeeded him. Pope.

Sense 5. To occupy; to employ.

The necessary provision of life swallows the greatest part of their time. Locke.

Sense 6. To seize and waste; to exhaust; to consume.

*Corruption swallowed what the liberal hand Of bounty scattered.* Thomson.

Sense 7. To engross; to engage completely.

The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up of wine. Isa. xxviii. 7.

Sense 8. To retract; to recant. “Swallowed his vows whole.” Shak.

Synonyms—To absorb; imbibe; ingulf; engross; consume. See ABSORB.

Swal'low, n.

noun

(swŏl'lō), n. [See supra.]

  1. The gullet or esophagus; the throat.
  2. Taste; relish; inclination; liking.

I have no swallow for it. Massinger.

  1. Capacity for swallowing; voracity. “There being nothing too gross for the swallow of political rancor.” Prof. Wilson.
  2. As much as is, or can be, swallowed at once; as, a swallow of water.