swallow

¹

[ swol-oh ]

verb (used with object)

1. to take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.

   Synonyms: quaff, imbibe, drink, down, devour, gulp, ingest, eat

   Antonyms: void, egest

2. to take in so as to envelop; withdraw from sight; assimilate or absorb:

   He was swallowed by the crowd.

   Synonyms: surround, envelop, engulf

3. to accept without question or suspicion; believe; trust.

   Antonyms: discredit, disbelieve

4. to accept without opposition; put up with:

   to swallow an insult.

5. to accept for lack of an alternative:

   Consumers will have to swallow new price hikes.

6. to suppress (emotion, a laugh, a sob, etc.) as if by drawing it down one's throat.

   Synonyms: suppress, submerge, strangle, stifle, smother, repress, pocket, choke (back), hold in

   Antonyms: vent, express

7. to take back; retract:

   to swallow one's words.

8. to enunciate poorly; mutter:

   He swallowed his words.

verb (used without object)

1. to perform the act of swallowing.

noun

1. the act or an instance of swallowing.

   Synonyms: sip, draft, gulp, taste, nibble, morsel, bite

2. a quantity swallowed at one time; a mouthful:

   Take one swallow of brandy.

3. capacity for swallowing.
4. Also called crown, throat. Nautical, Machinery. the space in a block, between the groove of the sheave and the shell, through which the rope runs.

swallow

²

[ swol-oh ]

noun

1. any of numerous small, long-winged passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, noted for their swift, graceful flight and for the extent and regularity of their migrations. Compare bank swallow ( def ), barn swallow ( def ), martin ( def ).
2. any of several unrelated, swallowlike birds, as the chimney swift.

swallow

¹

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

noun

1. any passerine songbird of the family Hirundinidae, esp Hirundo rustica ( common or barn swallow ), having long pointed wings, a forked tail, short legs, and a rapid flight hirundine
2. See fairy swallow

swallow

²

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

verb

1. to pass (food, drink, etc) through the mouth to the stomach by means of the muscular action of the oesophagus
2. often foll by up to engulf or destroy as if by ingestion

   Nazi Germany swallowed up several small countries

3. informal.
   to believe gullibly

   he will never swallow such an excuse

4. to refrain from uttering or manifesting

   to swallow one's disappointment

5. to endure without retaliation
6. to enunciate (words, etc) indistinctly; mutter
7. often foll by down to eat or drink reluctantly
8. intr to perform or simulate the act of swallowing, as in gulping
9. swallow one's words
   to retract a statement, argument, etc, often in humiliating circumstances

noun

1. the act of swallowing
2. the amount swallowed at any single time; mouthful
3. Also calledcrownthroat nautical the opening between the shell and the groove of the sheave of a block, through which the rope is passed
4. rare.
   another word for throat gullet
5. rare.
   a capacity for swallowing; appetite

Derived Forms

• ˈswallow-ˌlike, adjective
• ˈswallower, noun
• ˈswallowable, adjective

Other Words From

• swallow·a·ble adjective
• swallow·er noun
• un·swallow·a·ble adjective
• un·swallowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swallow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb swolwen, swalwen, Old English swelgan; cognate with German schwelgen; akin to Old Norse svelgja; Middle English noun swolwe, swoluh, Old English geswelgh “throat, abyss, whirlpool”; akin to Middle Low German swelch, Old High German swelgo “glutton,” Old Norse svelgr “swirl, whirlpool; devourer”

Origin of swallow²

First recorded before 900; Middle English swal(e)we, Old English sweal(e)we; cognate with German Schwalbe, Old Norse svala

Word History and Origins

Origin of swallow¹

Old English swealwe; related to Old Frisian swale, Old Norse svala, Old High German swalwa

Origin of swallow²

Old English swelgan; related to Old Norse svelga, Old High German swelgan to swallow, Swedish svalg gullet

Idioms and Phrases

• bitter pill to swallow

Example Sentences

They won their battle five years ago this month but never received proper compensation because the money they received was largely swallowed up by the huge costs to fund their case.

From BBC

As he followed their instructions, the cash machine swallowed his card and his bank told him it had closed his account shortly afterwards.

From BBC

Pop one into your mouth and swallow — as thousands of children do annually — and they can quickly cause devastating injuries.

From Los Angeles Times

Having researched MND and the impact it would have on her ability to walk, talk and swallow, Alison told her husband that she wanted to end her life on her own terms at Dignitas.

From BBC

“I stayed in my own way for a very long time, and that’s been a hard pill to swallow,” he told me.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absorb
• devour
• drink
• eat
• gobble
• gulp
• ingest
• inhale
• wash down