sheath

[ sheeth ]

/ ʃiθ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sheath ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural sheaths [sheeth z] /ʃiðz/.

a case or covering for the blade of a sword, dagger, or the like.

any similar close-fitting covering or case.

a condom.

Biology. a closely enveloping part or structure, as in an animal or plant.

Botany. the leaf base when it forms a vertical coating surrounding the stem.

a close-fitting dress, skirt, or coat, especially an unbelted dress with a straight drape.

Electricity. the metal covering of a cable.

Electronics.

the metal wall of a wave guide.
a space charge formed by ions near an electrode in a tube containing low-pressure gas.
the region of a space charge in a cathode-ray tube.

verb (used with object)

to sheathe.

Nearby words

shearlegs, shearling, shears, shearwater, sheatfish, sheath, sheath knife, sheath of eyeball, sheath of schwann, sheathbill, sheathe

Origin of sheath

before 950; Middle English s(c)heth(e), Old English scēath; cognate with German Scheide; see shed²

Related formssheath·less, adjectivesheath·like, sheath·y, adjective

Can be confusedsheath sheathe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sheath

The first lady wore a Michael Kors sheath with a matching cropped jacket and traditional pearls.
Michelle Obama and Ann Romney: First Ladies of Style|Robin Givhan|October 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I learned from those articles, lessons about rhythm and pacing and when to stick the dagger in and when to sheath it.
Alexander Cockburn, 1941-2012|Michael Tomasky|July 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I took off the sheath, the holster, so to speak, of the taser and I loaded the taser.
L.A. Riots Anniversary: Stacey Koon’s Disturbing Testimony|Christine Pelisek|April 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But Victoria Beckham likes a sheath so perfectly fitted that you might as well brace yourself for a diet based solely on refusal.
New York Fashion Week: Top-Trends Roundup|Robin Givhan|February 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST

The sheath surrounding the nerves acts as an electrical insulator, increasing neural speed by 100-fold.
Why Dumb Toys Make Kids Smarter|Po Bronson|October 1, 2009|DAILY BEAST
“Yes,” said the man, and he pulled a long knife out of its sheath and tried its edge.
Dead Man's Land|George Manville Fenn
I take it to be a small pen-knife in a sheath; useful for making erasures.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer
There is a sheath for it when the bee does not wish to use it; and here is a picture of it.
Natural History|Anonymous
It was common for a man to carry a butcher's knife in a sheath fastened to his belt.
Joe Wilson and His Mates|Henry Lawson
His knife also had disappeared from its sheath; he realized that he was absolutely unarmed and helpless.
The Doomsman|Van Tassel Sutphen

British Dictionary definitions for sheath

sheath

/ (ʃiːθ) /

noun plural sheaths (ʃiːðz)

a case or covering for the blade of a knife, sword, etc

any similar close-fitting case

biology an enclosing or protective structure, such as a leaf base encasing the stem of a plant

the protective covering on an electric cable

a figure-hugging dress with a narrow tapering skirt

another name for condom

verb

(tr) another word for sheathe

Word Origin for sheath

Old English scēath; related to Old Norse skeithir, Old High German sceida a dividing; compare Old English scādan to divide

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sheath

sheath

Old English sceað, scæð, from Proto-Germanic *skaithiz (cf. Old Saxon scethia, Old Norse skeiðir (plural), Old Frisian skethe, Middle Dutch schede, Dutch schede, Old High German skaida, German scheide "a sheath, scabbard"), according to OED, possibly from root *skei- "divide, split" (see shed (v.)) on notion of a split stick with the sword blade inserted. Meaning "condom" is recorded from 1861; sense of "close-fitting dress or skirt" is attested from 1904.