Main Entry:

²swallow

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English swalowen, from Old English swelgan; akin to Old High German swelgan to swallow

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb 1 : to take through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach 2 : to envelop or take in as if by swallowing : absorb <swallow the financial loss> <watch night swallow the valley> 3 : to accept without question, protest, or resentment <swallow an insult> <a hard story to swallow> 4 : take back, retract <had to swallow my words> 5 : to keep from expressing or showing : repress <swallowed my anger> 6 : to utter (as words) indistinctly intransitive verb 1 : to receive something into the body through the mouth and esophagus 2 : to perform the action characteristic of swallowing something especially under emotional stress

— swal·low·able \ˈswä-lō-ə-bəl\ adjective

— swal·low·er \ˈswä-lə-wər\ noun