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swallow

swallow

20 1.0
A small amount of food or drink taken into the throat at once
  • noun
  • /ˈswɑloʊ/
translation icon : trago
  • Could I have a swallow of your milk?
  • a single swallow
  • a swallow of liquid
  • cup swallow

They'd do a big swallow, a big swallow, go right, you know, you're the man.

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Examples

  • Kaylla took a deep breath and forced a swallow down her choked throat.

  • Dwight makes himself a drink, takes two large swallows, then turns to Toby.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • David picked up his glass, which had only a swallow of gin left.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Scarlett took a big swallow of coffee while she planned what to say.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Kaylla took a deep breath and forced a swallow down her choked throat.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Could I have a swallow of your milk?

  • Dwight makes himself a drink, takes two large swallows, then turns to Toby.

Synonyms

sip
vsswallow
165 1.0

A small amount of a drink taken into the mouth

is the general act or amount, not limited to very small mouthfuls
mouthful
vsswallow
59 1.6

An amount of food or drink you can put in your mouth at once

is the amount taken down the throat rather than remaining in the mouth
intake
vsswallow
56 3.0

How much food and drink a person eats or drinks

is a single act or amount, not the ongoing process of taking food
swig
vsswallow
  • Informal
23 6.5

A large quick drink taken in one swallow

is a general act or amount, not always large or hurried
ingestion
vsswallow
12 4.1

Taking food or drink into the body through the mouth

is a single act or amount, not the whole process of taking substances
sup
vsswallow
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small amount of liquid that you drink in one quick mouthful

is the broader act or amount, not limited to tiny casual sips
throatful
vsswallow
8.0

A large mouthful of liquid you can swallow in one gulp

is the broader act or amount not limited to a single gulp
deglutition
vsswallow
  • Specialized
9.9

The act of swallowing food or drink

is the everyday act or amount rather than a medical term

Idioms

2 6.8

An unpleasant fact or event that is hard to accept

9.9

To accept something unpleasant during talks to avoid bigger problems

to swallow a bug
  • Informal
9.8

To look surprised and uncomfortable

Compounds

1 6.9

A small bird that lives in colonies and builds bottle-shaped mud nests on cliffs and walls

1 3.7

A small bird with a long forked tail that builds nests in barns and on farms

A small bird that often nests in chimneys and catches insects in flight

7.5

A small bird that migrates and nests in tunnels dug into clay or sand banks

A domestic pigeon with blue-and-white feathers and large feathered feet

A small sea bird with white, black, and grey feathers that dives to catch fish

swallow shrike
  • Australian
9.9

A small bird from Asia and Australia that looks like a swallow and has a hooked beak

9.9

A plant that lives for many years with bright yellow flowers in dry, rocky places

swallow dive
  • Specialized
6.1

A dive where the diver bends the back and stretches the arms before entering the water

9.9

A hole in the ground where water goes underground into caves, often in limestone

A formal men's jacket with a cut-away front and two long tails worn for evening events

A large North American hunting bird with black and white feathers and a deeply forked tail

A bird of prey with a long forked tail and black and white feathers

6.0

A small North American bird with shiny blue-green back and white belly that nests in tree holes

A small bird with a blue-green back and white belly that nests in tree holes

wood swallow
  • Australian
9.1

A small bird with long wings that lives near trees and eats insects

How Big

draft
  • US
12 5.3
to gulp
26 2.9
swallow
20 1.0
mouthful
59 1.6
to sip
127 1.0

Surface Forms

swallow singular
swallows plural

Etymology

Swallow comes from an old English verb swelgan meaning 'to gulp down'. So a swallow (the noun) is the small amount of food or drink you take down your throat at one time.