swathe

¹ American  

[swoth, sweyth] / swɒð, sweɪð /

verb (used with object)

swathed, swathing

1. to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; wrap up closely or fully.

2. to bandage.

3. to enfold or envelop, as wrappings do.

4. to wrap (cloth, rope, etc.) around something.

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noun

1. a band of linen or the like in which something is wrapped; wrapping; bandage.

swathe ² American  

[swoth, sweyth] / swɒð, sweɪð /

noun

1. swath.

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swathe British  

/ sweɪð /

verb

1. to bandage (a wound, limb, etc), esp completely

2. to wrap a band, garment, etc, around, esp so as to cover completely; swaddle

3. to envelop

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noun

1. a bandage or wrapping

2. a variant spelling of swath

Other Word Forms

• swathable adjective

Etymology

Origin of swathe

before 1050; (noun) Middle English; Old English *swæth or *swath (in swathum dative plural); swaddle; (v.) Middle English swathen, late Old English swathian, derivative of the noun; cognate with Old Norse svatha

Example Sentences

Trying not to think of the sticky white curtains that swathed the trees, the huge, crawling spiders and their million eyes so close.

From Literature

In 2021, a swathe of land was purchased by the community after Buccleuch Estates announced its intention to sell off a huge chunk of its Borders Estate.

From BBC

She had been doing this now for half a year: to prove to herself that the swathes of gray soil across the forest really were growing larger.

From Literature

This comes after weeks of clashes which saw Syrian troops reclaim large swathes of territory in the north-east that had been under SDF control for more than a decade.

From BBC

It is the latest swathe of closures by the Spanish-owned bank which, like others on the high street, is closing bricks-and-mortar stores as customers move online.

From BBC

Related Words

• bandage
• clothe
• swaddle
• wrap