swills; swilled; swilling
1
informal
: to drink (something) quickly in large amounts
They were swilling (down) beer and playing cards.
2
a
of a liquid
: to move around in a container
She watched the water swill around in the bucket.
b
: to cause (a liquid) to move around in a container
He swilled the water around in the pot.
3
chiefly British
: to clean (something) by pouring water on it
He swilled the floor with buckets of water.
1
: food for animals (such as pigs) made from scraps of food and water
2
informal
: food or drink that is very bad or unappealing
I refuse to eat this swill. [=garbage]
Cite this Entry
“Swill.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/swill. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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