SWAB • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Swab

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/swɑb/ Listen

noun

Swab n.

A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels, etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.

A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle, for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying medicaments to deep-seated parts, etc.

(Naut.) An epaulet. (Sailor's Slang)

A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease. (Obs.)

A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.

verb

Swab v. t. (past & past part. swabbed; pres. part. swabbing) (Spelt also swob) To clean with a mop or swab; to wipe when very wet, as after washing; as, to swab the desk of a ship.

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Etymology of 'Swab'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Swab" Quotes from Famous Books

... Tony, jumping the gate as I went through it, "get busy with this situation. We've got almost a half-hour, so be doing something, everybody. Belle, you help Roxy skin that kid and get him into clean clothes while I swab up and light old Pomp's jimson-weed pipe for him?" And as Tony spoke he started to the ...

— Phyllis • Maria Thompson Daviess

... not understand what you say," was the reply. "You be d——d," said our man of war, and we turned off on our heel. The same evening a court of inquiry was held by the mids, who were unanimous in declaring that the captain of the line of battle ship ought to be superseded and made swab-wringer, and that their own captain had acted with that spirit which became a British commander of a man-of-war, and that he deserved to have his health drunk in a bumper of grog, which was accordingly done. Here the court ...

— A Sailor of King George • Frederick Hoffman

... she said through her clenched teeth. " Do you think I want to listen to your everlasting twaddle about her? Why, she's-she's no better than other people, you ignorant little mamma's boy. She's no better than other people, you swab! " ...

— Active Service • Stephen Crane

... Expenses kept running up, and yet it looked like sheer Waste to lavish so much Collateral on the upkeep of a Physical Swab. ...

— Ade's Fables • George Ade

... go in and out of his body, and so each one of us knew that something moved without, in the big cabin. In a little, something touched upon our door, and it was, as I have mentioned earlier, as though a great swab rubbed and scrubbed at the woodwork. At this, the men nearest unto the door came backwards in a surge, being put in sudden fear by reason of the Thing being so near; but the bo'sun held up a hand, bidding them, in a low voice, to make no unneedful noise. Yet, as though the sounds ...

— The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" • William Hope Hodgson

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