2 N‑COUNT A swathe of cloth is a long strip of cloth, especially one that is wrapped around someone or something. □ [+ of ] …swathes of white silk.
3 VERB To swathe someone or something in cloth means to wrap them in it completely. □ [V n + in ] She swathed her enormous body in thin black fabrics. □ [be V -ed] His head was swathed in bandages made from a torn sheet.
SWAT team /swɒ t tiːm/ (SWAT teams ) N‑COUNT A SWAT team is a group of police officers who have been specially trained to deal with very dangerous or violent situations. SWAT is an abbreviation for 'Special Weapons and Tactics'. [mainly AM ]
sway /swe I / (sways , swaying , swayed )
1 VERB When people or things sway , they lean or swing slowly from one side to the other. □ [V adv/prep] The people swayed back and forth with arms linked. □ [V ] The whole boat swayed and tipped. □ [V -ing] …a coastal highway lined with tall, swaying palm trees.
2 VERB If you are swayed by someone or something, you are influenced by them. □ [be V -ed] Don't ever be swayed by fashion. □ [V n] …last minute efforts to sway the voters in tomorrow's local elections.
3 PHRASE If someone or something holds sway , they have great power or influence over a particular place or activity. □ South of the Usk, a completely different approach seems to hold sway. [Also + over ]
4 PHRASE If you are under the sway of someone or something, they have great influence over you. □ How mothers keep daughters under their sway is the subject of the next five sections.
swear /sweə r / (swears , swearing , swore , sworn )
1 VERB If someone swears , they use language that is considered to be rude or offensive, usually because they are angry. □ [V ] It's wrong to swear and shout. □ [V + at ] They swore at them and ran off.
2 VERB If you swear to do something, you promise in a serious way that you will do it. □ [V that] Alan swore that he would do everything in his power to help us. □ [V to-inf] We have sworn to fight cruelty wherever we find it. □ [V n] The police are the only civil servants who have to swear allegiance to the Crown. □ [V n] I have sworn an oath to defend her.
3 VERB If you say that you swear that something is true or that you can swear to it, you are saying very firmly that it is true. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V that] I swear I've told you all I know. □ [V + on/by ] I swear on all I hold dear that I had nothing to do with this. □ [V + to ] Behind them was a confusion of noise, perhaps even a shot, but he couldn't swear to it.
4 VERB [usu passive] If someone is sworn to secrecy or is sworn to silence, they promise another person that they will not reveal a secret. □ [be V -ed + to ] She was bursting to announce the news but was sworn to secrecy.
5 → see also sworn
▸ swear by PHRASAL VERB If you swear by something, you believe that it can be relied on to have a particular effect. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] Many people swear by vitamin C's ability to ward off colds.
▸ swear in PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] When someone is sworn in , they formally promise to fulfil the duties of a new job or appointment. □ [be V -ed P ] Soon after the New Year, the new Congress will come to Washington to be sworn in.
swea ring-i n N‑SING The swearing-in at the beginning of a trial or official appointment is the act of making formal promises to fulfil the duties it involves.
swea r word (swear words ) also swearword N‑COUNT A swear word is a word which is considered to be rude or offensive. Swear words are usually used when people are angry.
sweat /swe t/ (sweats , sweating , sweated )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Sweat is the salty colourless liquid which comes through your skin when you are hot, ill, or afraid. □ Both horse and rider were dripping with sweat within five minutes.
2 VERB When you sweat , sweat comes through your skin. □ [V ] Already they were sweating as the sun beat down upon them. ● sweat|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …symptoms such as sweating, irritability, anxiety and depression.
3 N‑COUNT If someone is in a sweat , they are sweating a lot. □ Every morning I would break out in a sweat. □ I really don't feel a bit sick, no night sweats, no fevers.
4 PHRASE [v-link ADJ ] If someone is in a cold sweat or in a sweat , they feel frightened or embarrassed. □ The very thought brought me out in a cold sweat.
5 to sweat blood → see blood
sweat|er /swe tə r / (sweaters ) N‑COUNT A sweater is a warm knitted piece of clothing which covers the upper part of your body and your arms.
sweat|pants /swe tpænts/ also sweat pants N‑PLURAL Sweatpants are the part of a sweatsuit that covers your legs.
sweat|shirt /swe tʃɜː r t/ (sweatshirts ) also sweat shirt N‑COUNT A sweatshirt is a loose warm piece of casual clothing, usually made of thick stretchy cotton, which covers the upper part of your body and your arms.
sweat|shop /swe tʃɒp/ (sweatshops ) also sweat shop N‑COUNT If you describe a small factory as a sweatshop , you mean that many people work there in poor conditions for low pay. [DISAPPROVAL ]
sweat|suit /swe tsuːt/ (sweatsuits ) also sweat suit N‑COUNT A sweatsuit is a loose, warm, stretchy suit consisting of long trousers and a top which people wear to relax and do exercise.