📖 S — The English dictionary · page 122

sustenance — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Sustenance is food and drink that keeps a person, animal or plant alive and strong.↗ e.g. "The travellers had no sustenance for days."↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Sustenance also means anything that supports or strengthens someone, like comfort, hope or faith.↗ e.g. "Her letters gave him sustenance."↗ Example: The explorers needed sustenance after the long walk.↗ · Bread was the main sustenance of poor families in the past.↗ · Plants get sustenance from sunlight, water and soil.↗ · Many Christians say prayer gives them spiritual sustenance.↗ · The squirrels stored nuts for sustenance in winter.↗ · A cup of tea and a biscuit gave Grandma some sustenance.↗ · Hope was their only sustenance during the war.↗ · Inconsolable at his loss, she threw herself upon the ground, and refused all sustenance.↗ · and they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.↗ (Prophets JDG.6.4, JPS 1917)↗ · Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old; and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.↗ (Prophets 2SA.19.33, JPS 1917)↗

sutra — Everyday, meaning 1: (religion) A sutra is a holy teaching or text in Buddhism or Hinduism, often a sermon of the Buddha or short wise sayings.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In Hindu learning a sutra can also be a short rule or saying that is easy to remember.↗ Example: The monks chanted a sutra in the temple.↗ · Buddhists believe the sutras record the Buddha's teachings.↗ · The Heart Sutra is very short.↗ · We learned that «sutra» comes from a Sanskrit word meaning thread.↗ · Each sutra was copied by hand onto palm leaves.↗

suture — Everyday, meaning 1: (medicine) A suture is a stitch, or a row of stitches, that a doctor uses to close a cut or wound.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To suture a wound is to sew it closed.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) A suture is also a fixed, wiggly joint between bones, like the lines where the bones of the skull meet.↗ Example: The doctor put five sutures in my cut.↗ · The sutures will dissolve in a week.↗ · The nurse took out the sutures from his knee.↗ · The vet sutured the dog's leg.↗ · Your skull has wiggly lines called sutures.↗ · Some sutures are made of special thread.↗ · Keep the sutures clean and dry.↗

sw — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: A fragment, probably a stray bit of text or an abbreviation, not a real English word.↗

swab — Everyday, meaning 1: A swab is a small piece of cotton wool, often on a stick, used to clean a wound or put on medicine.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A swab is also a sample taken with such a stick from someone's nose, throat or mouth, so it can be tested for germs: a Covid swab.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To swab means to clean or wipe with a swab, or to take such a sample.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb) To swab the deck means to clean the floor of a ship with a mop.↗ Example: The nurse cleaned the cut with a swab.↗ · The doctor took a swab from my throat.↗ · We did a swab test at home when I had a cough.↗ · The pirates were made to swab the decks.↗ · We swabbed the door handle and grew bacteria in a dish.↗ · Use a cotton swab to dab on the cream.↗ · Police can swab the inside of the cheek for DNA.↗

swaddle — Everyday, meaning 1: To swaddle is to wrap a baby tightly in soft cloth so it cannot move its arms or legs much.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Swaddling clothes are the cloths used for this.↗ (old use).↗ Example: The mother swaddled the baby in a blanket.↗ · The stork carried a baby in swaddling clothes.↗ · Babies were often swaddled tightly long ago.↗ · And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water for cleansing; thou was not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.↗ (Prophets EZK.16.4, JPS 1917)↗

swag — Everyday, meaning 1: (slang) Swag means cool style and confidence in how you look or act.↗ e.g. "He walked in with loads of swag."↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Swag is free stuff given away at events, such as badges, pens, stickers and T-shirts with a company's name.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (old slang) Swag is stolen goods, especially what a burglar carries away in a bag.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (Australia, New Zealand) A swag is a bedroll: a waterproof canvas bag with a mattress for sleeping outdoors; a swagman was a traveller who carried one.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A swag is also a piece of cloth or a decoration hanging in a curve, as above a window.↗ Example: The burglar ran off with a bag of swag.↗ · We got lots of swag at the science fair: pens, stickers and a cap.↗ · My cousin thinks his new trainers give him swag.↗ · In the outback we slept in swags under the stars.↗ · Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong.↗ · The curtains had a swag of red silk across the top.↗ · That dance move has serious swag!↗ (slang)↗

swagger — Everyday, meaning 1: To swagger is to walk or behave in a very proud, showy way, as if you think you are better than others.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) Swagger is that proud, showy way of walking or behaving.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) Swagger can mean confident style that others admire.↗ Example: Toad swaggered down the road, singing about himself.↗ · The new captain walked with a swagger.↗ · Pirates swaggered through the town.↗ · He swaggered into class as if he owned it.↗ · She had the swagger of a champion.↗ · The bully swaggered up to the little ones.↗

swaggering — Everyday, meaning 1: Walking or behaving in a proud, show-off way, as if you are very important.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Too confident and boastful.↗ Example: Toad came swaggering down the drive in his goggles.↗ · The swaggering pirate laughed at the crew.↗ · He walked in with a swaggering grin.↗ · The team's swaggering captain lost the match.↗ · I don't like his swaggering way of talking.↗ · The cockerel strutted about, swaggering.↗

swahili — Everyday, meaning 1: Swahili is a language spoken by many millions of people in East Africa, especially in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and nearby countries; in Swahili itself it is called Kiswahili.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The Swahili are also a people of the East African coast, and Swahili describes their culture, such as Swahili cities and Swahili food.↗ Example: Swahili is spoken in Kenya and Tanzania.↗ · «Jambo» means hello in Swahili.↗ · The word «safari» comes from Swahili and means journey.↗ · «Hakuna matata» is Swahili for «no worries».↗ · Our teacher taught us to count to ten in Swahili.↗ · «Asante sana» means «thank you very much» in Swahili.↗ · Swahili has borrowed many words from Arabic.↗ · People on the Swahili coast have traded by sea for centuries.↗

swallow — Everyday, meaning 1: To make food, drink or something else go down your throat into your stomach.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To move your throat as if swallowing, for example when nervous.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A noun: a small bird with long pointed wings and a forked tail that flies fast and catches insects.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To believe something too easily, or to hide a feeling: «swallow your pride».↗ Example: Chew your food well before you swallow it.↗ · My little brother swallowed a coin, so Mum called the doctor.↗ · It hurts to swallow when you have a sore throat.↗ · Snakes swallow their food whole.↗ · He swallowed hard and walked on stage.↗ · Swallows build mud nests under the roof.↗ · In autumn the swallows fly south.↗ · That story is hard to swallow.↗ · One swallow does not make summer.↗ · And the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears.↗ (Torah GEN.41.24, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand — the earth swallowed them.↗ (Torah EXO.15.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And the thin ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears.↗ (Torah GEN.41.7, JPS 1917)↗ · Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?↗ (Writings JOB.37.20, JPS 1917)↗ · The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.↗ (Writings PSA.106.17, JPS 1917)↗ · Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; (Writings PSA.124.3, JPS 1917)↗

swallowtail — Everyday, meaning 1: A swallowtail is a large, brightly coloured butterfly with long points on its back wings that look like the forked tail of a swallow (a bird).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Swallowtail can describe any shape with a deep forked end, like a swallowtail flag or swallowtail coat.↗ Example: A yellow swallowtail landed on the flower.↗ · The swallowtail butterfly has long tails on its wings.↗ · In the UK, swallowtails live in the Norfolk Broads.↗ · The swallowtail caterpillar was green with black stripes.↗ · The ship flew a swallowtail flag.↗ · We drew a swallowtail for our minibeast project.↗

swamp — Everyday, meaning 1: An area of land that is always wet and soft, with trees, reeds and still water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To flood something with water.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To give someone far too much of something: swamped with work.↗ Example: Alligators live in the swamps of Florida.↗ · The path through the swamp was muddy.↗ · A big wave swamped the little boat.↗ · I'm swamped with homework this week.↗ · Mosquitoes breed in swamps.↗ · The shop was swamped with customers after the sale started.↗ · Falling into a swamp, he remains there some time.↗

swampy — Everyday, meaning 1: Swampy land is wet, soft and muddy, like a swamp, with water lying on it and plants growing in the water.↗ Example: The path became swampy after the rain.↗ · Alligators live in swampy parts of Florida.↗ · The football pitch was swampy and we got covered in mud.↗ · Mosquitoes breed in swampy ground.↗ · The ogre lived in a swampy forest.↗ · Swampy land is good for frogs and herons.↗ · In the swampy margin of a broad stream in the garden lived the toad, with her son.↗

swan — Everyday, meaning 1: A swan is a large water bird, usually white, with a long curved neck.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, UK) To swan around or off is to go somewhere in a relaxed, carefree way, often while others are working.↗ Example: Two white swans glided across the lake.↗ · A baby swan is called a cygnet.↗ · Black swans live in Australia.↗ · Don't feed swans bread; give them peas or seeds.↗ · The ugly duckling grew up to be a beautiful swan.↗ · Swans can be fierce if you go near their nest.↗ · He swanned off to the beach while we cleaned up.↗ · She swans around as if she owns the place.↗

swap — Everyday, meaning 1: To swap is to give one thing and get another in return.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To swap places or seats is for two people to change places.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A swap is the act of swapping, or the thing you get.↗ Example: Tom swaps 3 stickers for 2 of Ben's.↗ · They swap seats.↗ · She swapped 4 marbles for 1 big one.↗ · How many stickers does Tom have after the swap?↗ · Can I swap my apple for your banana?↗ · We swapped books after we finished reading.↗ · Swap the numbers: 4 + 7 is the same as 7 + 4.↗ · That was a fair swap.↗ · The two players swapped shirts after the match.↗

sward — Everyday, meaning 1: (literary, old) An area of short grass; a lawn or green field of turf.↗ Example: The children ran across the green sward.↗ · Sheep grazed on the sward by the river.↗ · They spread a picnic on the sward.↗ · The castle stood above a smooth sward.↗ · Daisies dotted the sward.↗ · The farmer checked the sward before letting the cows out.↗ · They flung themselves down on the sward, close to their underground home.↗

swarm — Everyday, meaning 1: A swarm is a big group of insects, such as bees, wasps or locusts, flying together.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A swarm of people is a large crowd moving together.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To swarm is to move in a large, busy group: bees swarmed around the hive.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A place swarming with something is full of it: the beach was swarming with tourists.↗ Example: A swarm of bees flew out of the tree.↗ · Locust swarms can eat a whole field of crops.↗ · Fans swarmed onto the pitch after the match.↗ · The park was swarming with children.↗ · If you see a swarm of wasps, walk away calmly.↗ · Flies swarmed around the bin.↗ · A swarm can hold thousands of bees.↗ · A swarm of hungry blood-sucking flies settled upon him.↗ · And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; swarm in the earth, and multiply therein.'↗ (Torah GEN.9.7, JPS 1917)↗ · And all winged swarming things are unclean unto you; they shall not be eaten.↗ (Torah DEU.14.19, JPS 1917)↗ · All winged swarming things that go upon all fours are a detestable thing unto you.↗ (Torah LEV.11.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Their land swarmed with frogs, in the chambers of their kings.↗ (Writings PSA.105.30, JPS 1917)↗ · He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats in all their borders.↗ (Writings PSA.105.31, JPS 1917)↗ · He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.↗ (Writings PSA.78.45, JPS 1917)↗

swarthy — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Swarthy means having dark skin or a dark complexion, often from being in the sun. (old use).↗ Example: Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.'↗ (Writings SNG.1.6, JPS 1917)↗ · The sailor had a swarthy face.↗ · A swarthy man sold spices at the market.↗ · His swarthy skin shone in the sun.↗