sheath
Americannoun
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a case or covering for the blade of a sword, dagger, or the like.
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any similar close-fitting covering or case.
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a condom.
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Biology. a closely enveloping part or structure, as in an animal or plant.
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Botany. the leaf base when it forms a vertical coating surrounding the stem.
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a close-fitting dress, skirt, or coat, especially an unbelted dress with a straight drape.
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Electricity. the metal covering of a cable.
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Electronics.
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the metal wall of a wave guide.
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a space charge formed by ions near an electrode in a tube containing low-pressure gas.
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the region of a space charge in a cathode-ray tube.
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verb (used with object)
noun
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a case or covering for the blade of a knife, sword, etc
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any similar close-fitting case
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biology an enclosing or protective structure, such as a leaf base encasing the stem of a plant
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the protective covering on an electric cable
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a figure-hugging dress with a narrow tapering skirt
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another name for condom
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sheath
before 950; Middle English s ( c ) heth ( e ), Old English scēath; cognate with German Scheide; see shed 2
Explanation
A sheath is a protective case for a knife or a sword. The most exciting part of a staged sword fight might be the moment when the hero pulls his weapon out of its sheath. A sheath is also a dress that is straight, fitted, and simple. You might advise your Aunt Martha to choose a sheath dress for her third wedding, instead of the white lace gown with the long train. The word sheath most likely comes from the Old English scēath, meaning a divide or a split, like the split piece of wood which originally served as a sword's sheath.
Vocabulary lists containing sheath
Words from Shakespearean Insults
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A coast name for the say, seath, or coal-fish.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
Looke what beaste thei kille to be eaten, thei reserue the harte all nighte in some couered cuppe, and the nexte mornynge seath it and eate it.
From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06 Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc. by Hakluyt, Richard
Padraic priotcais do Scotuibh Ro cheas mór seath i Leathu Immi co tisat do brath In cách dos fiüc do beathu.
From A Hymn on the Life, Virtues and Miracles of St. Patrick Composed by his Disciple, Saint Fiech, Bishop of Sletty by Fiech, Saint
She then provided us with some hot milk and oatcake, and something we had never tasted before, which she called "seath."
From From John O'Groats to Land's End by Naylor, Robert
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
