swallow
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Etymology 1
Old English swelġan, from Germanic. Cognate with Dutch zwelgen, German schwelgen, Swedish svälja.
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to swallow (third-person singular simple present swallows, present participle swallowing, simple past and past participle swallowed)
- (transitive) To cause to pass from the mouth into the stomach.
- Try not to swallow too much toothpaste.
- The duck swallowed the frog.
- (intransitive) To take food down into the stomach; to make the muscular contractions of the oesophagus to achieve this.
- I swallowed nervously, wondering who was outside the window.
- (transitive) To take in, to consume, to absorb or cause to disappear.
- Any extra money will be swallowed up by the mortgage repayments.
- (transitive) To believe or accept.
- I find his excuses a little hard to swallow.
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from swallow (verb)
[edit] Translations
to cause to pass from the mouth into the stomach
to make muscular contractions of the oesophagus
to take in, to consume
to believe or accept
[edit] See also
[edit] Etymology 2
Late Old English swelg (“‘gulf, chasm’”), from Germanic (related to Etymology 1, above).
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
swallow (plural swallows)
- (archaic) A deep chasm or abyss in the earth.
- The amount swallowed in one gulp; the act of swallowing.
- He took the aspirin with a single swallow of water.
[edit] Translations
amount swallowed
[edit] Etymology 3
Old English swealwe, from Germanic. Cognate with Danish svale, Dutch zwaluw, German Schwalbe, Swedish svala.
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
swallow (plural swallows)
- A small, migratory bird of the Hirundinidae family with long, pointed, moon-shaped wings and a forked tail which feeds on the wing by catching insects.
[edit] Synonyms
- (small bird of Hirundunudae): martlet
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
bird
