sward

American  

[swawrd] / swɔrd /

noun

1. the grassy surface of land; turf.

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

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover with sward or turf.

verb (used without object)

1. to become covered with sward.

sward British  

/ swɔːd /

noun

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

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verb

1. to cover or become covered with grass

Other Word Forms

• undersward noun

Etymology

Origin of sward

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

Example Sentences

A boardwalk leads visitors deep into the woods; mown swards direct footsteps up, over and through the Earth Garden; and steppingstone boulders navigate a stream.

From Seattle Times

Not long now: The teams are out on the Turf Moor sward going through the last of the pre-match formalities.

From The Guardian

Not long now: The teams are out on the Camp Nou sward and going through the last of the pre-match formalities.

From The Guardian

Not long now: Burnley’s players give their Liverpool counterparts, the Premier League champions, a guard of honour as they march out on to the Anfield sward with You’ll Never Walk Alone playing over the Tannoy.

From The Guardian

And then they were standing on the true path: a swath of green sward running through the grey wood.

From Literature

Related Words

• earth
• grass
• ground
• sod
• soil
• terrain
• territory
• track