swathe

[swoth, sweyth]

verb (used with object), swathed, swath·ing.

to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; wrap up closely or fully.
to bandage.
to enfold or envelop, as wrappings do.

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

noun

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

Origin of swathe

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

swathe

[swoth, sweyth]

noun

swath.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for swathes

wrap, swaddle, bandage, clothe, drape, bind, cover

Examples from the Web for swathes

Historical Examples of swathes

Death, issuing from that great power of artillery, laid the soldiers in swathes.
The Long Roll
Mary Johnston
A Maxim they had with them also swept horses and men away in swathes.
The Invasion
William Le Queux
When they met again, he had his head bound up with swathes of linen.
Swirling Waters
Max Rittenberg
Lavishing her silky spray, she swathes them and then sucks the body at her ease.
The Life of the Spider
J. Henri Fabre
It swathes those impossible masses in draperies soothingly uncertain of outline.
In Defense of Women
H. L. Mencken

British Dictionary definitions for swathes

swathe

verb (tr)

to bandage (a wound, limb, etc), esp completely
to wrap a band, garment, etc, around, esp so as to cover completely; swaddle
to envelop

noun

a bandage or wrapping
a variant spelling of swath

Derived Formsswathable or swatheable, adjective

Word Origin for swathe

Old English swathian; related to swæthel swaddling clothes, Old High German swedil, Dutch zwadel; see swaddle

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

Word Origin and History for swathes

swathe

Old English swaþian "to swathe," from swaðu "track, trace, band" (see swath). The noun meaning "infant's swaddling bands" was found in Old English as swaþum (dative plural).