swarf
Americannoun
noun
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material removed by cutting or grinding tools in the machining of metals, stone, etc
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radioactive metal waste from a nuclear power station
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small fragments of disintegrating spacecraft, orbiting the earth
Etymology
Origin of swarf
1560–70; < Old Norse svarf, akin to sverfa to file, or continuing Old English geswearf, gesweorf
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Three times have I warded off a swarf," said Kitty.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 17 by Wilson, John Mackay
His eldritch look gars us swarf wi’ fear; An’ the feint a ane will the house come near, If they think but o’ Aiken-drum.
From Spare Hours by Brown, John
Gude preserve us! my faither didna ken where he was stan'in—didna ken what he was doing; an', though he kept his feet, he was just in a kind o' swarf, like.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
