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swabber
[ swob-er ]
/ ˈswɒb ər /
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noun
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
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Origin of swabber
1585–95; <Dutch zwabber; compare Middle Low German swabben to splash in water or filth
Words nearby swabber
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use swabber in a sentence
I'm afraid the sea is too cold for me this morning, Mr. Swabber.
Mr. Punch at the Seaside|VariousThere was no place on board for a 'waister,' a 'swabber,' longshoreman, or sea labourer.
Merchantmen-at-Arms|David W. BoneUnder the swabber there was a temporary rate known as the liar.
On the Spanish Main|John MasefieldFor the duty even of a swabber, he does not consider himself too high, but washes the deck most delicately clean.
British Dictionary definitions for swabber
swabber
/ (ˈswɒbə) /
noun
a person who uses a swab
a device designed for swabbing
slang an uncouth fellow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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