swallow

¹

[swol-oh]

verb (used with object)

1. to take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.

   Synonyms: quaff, imbibe, drink, down, devour, gulp, ingest, eat
   Antonyms: void, egest

2. to take in so as to envelop; withdraw from sight; assimilate or absorb.

   He was swallowed by the crowd.

   Synonyms: surround, envelop, engulf

3. to accept without question or suspicion; believe; trust.

   Antonyms: discredit, disbelieve

4. to accept without opposition; put up with.

   to swallow an insult.

5. to accept for lack of an alternative.

   Consumers will have to swallow new price hikes.

6. to suppress (emotion, a laugh, a sob, etc.) as if by drawing it down one's throat.

   Synonyms: suppress, submerge, strangle, stifle, smother, repress, pocket, hold in, choke (back)
   Antonyms: vent, express

7. to take back; retract.

   to swallow one's words.

8. to enunciate poorly; mutter.

   He swallowed his words.

verb (used without object)

1. to perform the act of swallowing.

noun

1. the act or an instance of swallowing.

   Synonyms: sip, draft, gulp, taste, nibble, morsel, bite

2. a quantity swallowed at one time; a mouthful.

   Take one swallow of brandy.

3. capacity for swallowing.

4. Also called crown, throat. Nautical, Machinery.,  the space in a block, between the groove of the sheave and the shell, through which the rope runs.

swallow

²

[swol-oh]

noun

1. any of numerous small, long-winged passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, noted for their swift, graceful flight and for the extent and regularity of their migrations.

2. any of several unrelated, swallowlike birds, as the chimney swift.

swallow

¹

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

verb

1. to pass (food, drink, etc) through the mouth to the stomach by means of the muscular action of the oesophagus

2. (often foll by up) to engulf or destroy as if by ingestion

   Nazi Germany swallowed up several small countries

3. informal,  to believe gullibly

   he will never swallow such an excuse

4. to refrain from uttering or manifesting

   to swallow one's disappointment

5. to endure without retaliation

6. to enunciate (words, etc) indistinctly; mutter

7. (often foll by down) to eat or drink reluctantly

8. (intr) to perform or simulate the act of swallowing, as in gulping

9. to retract a statement, argument, etc, often in humiliating circumstances

noun

1. the act of swallowing

2. the amount swallowed at any single time; mouthful

3. Also called: crown.  throat. nautical the opening between the shell and the groove of the sheave of a block, through which the rope is passed

4. rare,  another word for throat gullet

5. rare,  a capacity for swallowing; appetite

swallow

²

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

noun

1. any passerine songbird of the family Hirundinidae, esp Hirundo rustica ( common or barn swallow ), having long pointed wings, a forked tail, short legs, and a rapid flight

2. See fairy swallow

Other Word Forms

• swallowable adjective
• swallower noun
• unswallowable adjective
• unswallowed adjective
• swallow-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swallow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb swolwen, swalwen, Old English swelgan; cognate with German schwelgen; akin to Old Norse svelgja; Middle English noun swolwe, swoluh, Old English geswelgh “throat, abyss, whirlpool”; akin to Middle Low German swelch, Old High German swelgo “glutton,” Old Norse svelgr “swirl, whirlpool; devourer”

Origin of swallow²

First recorded before 900; Middle English swal(e)we, Old English sweal(e)we; cognate with German Schwalbe, Old Norse svala

Word History and Origins

Origin of swallow¹

Old English swelgan; related to Old Norse svelga, Old High German swelgan to swallow, Swedish svalg gullet

Origin of swallow²

Old English swealwe; related to Old Frisian swale, Old Norse svala, Old High German swalwa

Idioms and Phrases

• bitter pill to swallow

Example Sentences

The Truth Teller is a stand-in for hundreds of regional publications swallowed by companies like Enervate.

From Salon

The effect is dark and mottled — it looks as if the concrete has swallowed the color.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet, this is a bitter pill to swallow for many, given Pakistan contributes less than 1% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.

From BBC

It may be a bitter pill for Ukraine to swallow, but what it all suggests is a meeting of minds between the leaders of the two great powers involved: Russia and the United States.

From Salon

For Kyiv, such a concession would be a bitter pill to swallow.

From BBC

Related Words

• absorb 
• devour 
• drink 
• eat 
• gobble 
• gulp 
• ingest 
• inhale 
• wash down