swallow

present singular third person swallows · participle present swallowing · participle past swallowed · past swallowed · alternative obsolete swalow · alternative obsolete swolow

1. transitiveTo cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat.First known use 11th c.

   Clothes are to be worn and food is to be swallowed: they remain trapped in the physical world.

   2011 April 21, Jonathan Jones, The Guardian

   2 more examples

   What the liquor was I do not know, but it was not so strong but that I could swallow it in great gulps and found it less burning than my burning throat.

   [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC

   The four-and-one-half-day trial was centered on acts that neither she nor prosecutors dispute: On July 13, 2012, she drove her Lexus S.U.V. erratically after swallowing Zolpidem, a generic form of the sleep medication Ambien.

   2014 February 28, Joseph Berger, “Fast Acquittal for Kennedy, Whose Name Put Prosecutors in Bind”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2022

   Synonyms: consume, devour, eat, gulp

2. transitiveTo take (something) in so that it disappears; to consume, absorb.First known use 13th c.

   death is swallowed up in victory

   3 more examples

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

   a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC

   His body, like so many others swallowed by the ocean's hungry maw, was never found.

   2010 October 28, “What are the wild waves saying”, in The Economist

   Elsewhere still, they'd managed to find the wreck of a Japanese midget submarine, and so, when the battleships were done being swallowed by the seabed, some efforts were being made to haul this up as well.

   2020 November 11, Drachinifel, 25:13 from the start, in The Salvage of Pearl Harbor Pt 1 - The Smoke Clears, archived from the original on 22 Oct 2022

   Synonyms: absorb, engulf, incorporate, swallow up, absorb, add on, assimilate, co-opt

3. intransitiveTo take food down into the stomach; or to make muscular contractions of the oesophagus from nervousness or strong emotion.First known use 18th c.

   My throat was so sore that I was unable to swallow.

   1 more example

   She swallowed nervously then, appearing near sick with what she had to say.

   1979, VC Andrews, Flowers in the Attic

   Synonyms: gulp

4. figurativelytransitiveTo accept easily, gullibly, or without questions; to be deceived by; to believe, accept.First known use 16th c.

   Americans swallowed his tale because they wanted to.

   2011 April 22, Madeleine Bunting, The Guardian

   3 more examples

   this humbug was readily swallowed by men who were supposed to be intelligent,

   1920, Romain Rolland, translated by Katherine Miller, Clerambault

   Most newspapers we saw swallowed whole an S.R. estimate that it would cost £20m to equip the Region with point heaters.

   1962 March, “Lessons of the Freeze-up”, in Modern Railways, page 146

   Be careful of the Commie Lies / swallow them and freedom dies / The USA must realize / that she's the biggest prize.

   1965, “Commie Lies”, in Fascist Threat / Commie Lies, performed by Janet Greene

   Synonyms: buy, credit, fall for

5. figurativelytransitiveTo engross; to appropriate; usually with up.

   Homer excels […] in this, that he swallowed up the honour of those who succeeded him.

   1715–1720, Homer, “Book preface”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: absorb, monopolize, occupy, take over

6. figurativelytransitiveTo retract; to recant.

   to swallow one's opinions, to swallow one's pride

   1 more example

   Left her in her tears, and dried not one of them with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   Synonyms: disavow, take back, abjure, backpedal, disavow, disown, eat one's words, recall

7. figurativelytransitiveTo put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation.

   to swallow an affront or insult

   Synonyms: endure, live with, abear, abide, aby, accept, allow, bear

8. euphemisticslangvulgarlifestyleTo swallow semen after oral sex, as opposed to spitting it out.

   "Here is my little girlfriend who swallows, want to see her naked?"

   2015 January 13, Victoria Hirschfield, Inconception The Book, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 38

   2 more examples

   Was she straight or was she gay? Did she spit or swallow? Was she smooth or hairy down there? Questions, questions.

   2009 May 2, Teejay LeCapois, Fight Evil With Evil, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 333

   "Look, a man like me only wants three things out of life." Frank ticked them off on the fingers of his right hand. “A wife that can cook, a girlfriend who swallows, and a steady stream of non-taxable income."

   2012 December 1, Tim Maleeny, Greasing the Piñata, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN

plural swallows · alternative obsolete swalow · alternative obsolete swolow

1. countableuncountableThe amount swallowed in one gulp; the act of swallowing.

   He took the aspirin with a single swallow of water.

   1 more example

   She took a swallow of milk and made a face. "This milk is blinky."

   1978, Tom Reamy, Blind Voices

2. archaiccountableuncountableA deep chasm or abyss in the earth.
3. archaiccountableuncountableThe mouth and throat; that which is used for swallowing; the gullet.

   1 more example

   The door burst wide open, and he saw nothing but a gaping jaw extending from the threshold up to the lintel. "There is a mouthful for you," said the youngster, and threw the pauper boy into the swallow; "taste that! But let me see now who you are! Perhaps you are an old acquaintance?" And so it was; it was the devil who was about again.

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 103

4. countableuncountablenauticalThe opening in a pulley block between the sheave and shell through which the rope passes.

   Blocks are made in a great variety of patterns. All are designed to be used one way. The rope goes through the swallow.

   2012, Percy W. Blandford, Practical Knots and Ropework, page 350

   2 more examples

   In addition, j-lock shackles can pass through the swallow of a modern genoa track even with a sheet in tension already there, and this is very useful when preparing a sail change on the same tack.

   2008, Danilo Fabbroni, Rigging: Rig Your Boat Right for Racing or Cruising

   When specifying blocks, excessive friction is avoided by ensuring (a) that the diameter of the sheave is at least twice the circumference of the rope or six times its diameter (preferably more), and (b) that the 'swallow' of the block is substantially wider than the diameter of the rope, to avoid rubbing against the inside of the cheeks.

   2012, H.G. Hasler, J.K. McLeod, Practical Junk Rig, page 171

5. NigeriacountableuncountableAny of various carbohydrate-based dishes that are swallowed without much chewing, commonly paired and eaten with various types of soup.

plural swallows

1. A small migratory bird of the family Hirundinidae with long, pointed wings and a forked tail which feeds on the wing by catching insects.

   “What a remarkable phenomenon,” said the Professor of Ornithology as he was passing over the bridge. “A swallow in winter!” And he wrote a long letter about it to the local newspaper. Every one quoted it, it was full of so many words that they could not understand.

   1888, Oscar Wilde, “The Happy Prince”, in The Happy Prince and Other Tales, London: Duckworth, published 1928, page 24

   Synonyms: martin

2. broadlyAny of a number of other species of birds previously or popularly called "swallow", such as the sea swallow.

plural Swallows

1. countableuncountableA surname.
2. countableuncountableA village and civil parish in West Lindsey district, Lincolnshire, England (OS grid ref TA1703).