sward

[ swawrd ]
See synonyms for sward on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the grassy surface of land; turf.

  2. a stretch of turf; a growth of grass.

verb (used with object)
  1. to cover with sward or turf.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become covered with sward.

Origin of sward

1
before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English sweard skin, rind; cognate with German Schwarte rind, Old Frisian swarde scalp, Middle Dutch swaerde skin

Other words from sward

  • un·der·sward, noun

Words Nearby sward

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sward in a sentence

  • The crowd disposed itself on the fringe of the sward, and the duellists went forward, and set about the preparations.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • At length breathing more freely, he reached the green sward, water side and loneliness.

    Balsamo, The Magician | Alexander Dumas
  • The finer the soil is before seed is sown the better will be the sward you grow on it.

    Amateur Gardencraft | Eben E. Rexford
  • If a rake is used, let it be one with blunt teeth that will not tear the sward.

    Amateur Gardencraft | Eben E. Rexford
  • Turpin's quick eye ranged over the spreading sward in front of the ancient priory, and his brow became contracted.

    Rookwood | William Harrison Ainsworth

British Dictionary definitions for sward

sward

/ (swɔːd) /


noun
  1. turf or grass or a stretch of turf or grass

verb
  1. to cover or become covered with grass

Origin of sward

1
Old English sweard skin; related to Old Frisian swarde scalp, Middle High German swart hide

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