📖 S — The English dictionary · page 124

sweetheart — Everyday, meaning 1: A person you love in a romantic way, a boyfriend or girlfriend.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A friendly, loving name used for someone you care about, especially a child («Come here, sweetheart»).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A very kind, lovely person: «She's a real sweetheart».↗ Example: «Goodnight, sweetheart,» said Mum.↗ · My grandparents were childhood sweethearts.↗ · The new teacher is a real sweetheart.↗ · He sent his sweetheart a Valentine's card.↗ · «Don't cry, sweetheart, it's only a scratch.»↗ · The dog is a sweetheart and loves everyone.↗

sweetie — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal) Sweetie is a loving name you call someone you like, such as a child or a partner: «Thank you, sweetie.».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) A sweetie is a kind, lovely person: she's a real sweetie.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, Scotland, child's word) A sweetie is a sweet, a piece of candy.↗ Example: Come here, sweetie, and give me a hug.↗ · Night night, sweetie.↗ · Our new neighbour is a real sweetie.↗ · Can I have a sweetie, Gran?↗ · The little girl shared her sweeties with her friends.↗ · Thanks for helping, sweetie.↗

sweetly — Everyday, meaning 1: In a kind, gentle and pleasant way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: With a nice, sweet sound or smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Smoothly and well, as in a ball sweetly struck.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (ironic) Pretending to be nice when you are not: «she smiled sweetly and said no».↗ Example: The baby smiled sweetly at her grandmother.↗ · The birds sang sweetly in the morning.↗ · The roses smelt sweetly in the garden.↗ · He struck the ball sweetly into the net.↗ · «No, thank you,» she said sweetly, but she was cross.↗ · The little boy asked sweetly for another biscuit.↗ · The little mermaid sang more sweetly than them all.↗ · The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree.↗ (Writings JOB.24.20, JPS 1917)↗

sweetmeat — Everyday, meaning 1: (old-fashioned) A sweetmeat is a sweet, candy or other small sweet treat like sugared fruit, nuts or marzipan.↗ It has nothing to do with meat.↗ Example: The queen's banquet ended with sugared sweetmeats.↗ · In the story, the witch tempted the children with sweetmeats.↗ · Victorian children bought sweetmeats at the fair.↗ · The tray held figs, nuts and other sweetmeats.↗ · Sweetmeats were a rare treat for poor families long ago.↗ · Grandad jokingly calls toffees «sweetmeats».↗ · Everyone had as many cakes and sweetmeats as he wanted.↗

sweetness — Everyday, meaning 1: The taste of sugar or honey; being sweet.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Kindness, gentleness and a pleasant nature.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A pleasant quality of a sound or smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal, as a pet name) «Sweetness» used to speak to someone you love.↗ Example: The sweetness of the strawberries was perfect.↗ · Our tongue can taste sweetness, sourness, saltiness and bitterness.↗ · Honey adds sweetness to porridge.↗ · Everyone loved the sweetness of her nature.↗ · The sweetness of the music made us calm.↗ · (informal) «Morning, sweetness!» said Dad.↗ · Too much sweetness in drinks is bad for teeth.↗ · A jar of honey was upset and the sticky sweetness flowed out on the table.↗ · Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.↗ (Writings PRO.27.9, JPS 1917)↗ · The wise in heart is called a man of discernment; and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.↗ (Writings PRO.16.21, JPS 1917)↗ · And he said unto them: Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.↗ (Prophets JDG.14.14, JPS 1917)↗

swell — Everyday, meaning 1: To get bigger, rounder or fuller, often because of injury, water or air (My ankle swelled up).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To grow in number, size, loudness or strength (The crowd swelled).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A swell: the long, smooth rise and fall of waves in the sea.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (old-fashioned American) Excellent, very nice (That's swell!).↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A feeling growing strong inside you (a swell of pride).↗ Example: My finger swelled up after the bee sting.↗ · Put ice on your ankle to stop it swelling.↗ · The river swelled after days of heavy rain.↗ · Dried beans swell when you soak them in water.↗ · There's a big swell today, so the beach is closed.↗ · Her heart swelled with pride when she won.↗ · «Gee, that's swell!» said the boy in the old film.↗ · Affrighted though she was, Wendy swelled with pride.↗ · Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.↗ (Torah DEU.8.4, JPS 1917)↗ · and this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, and make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to fall away'; and the woman shall say: 'Amen, Amen.'↗ (Torah NUM.5.22, JPS 1917)↗ · Yea, forty years didst Thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.↗ (Writings NEH.9.21, JPS 1917)↗

swelling — Everyday, meaning 1: A part of the body that has become bigger and puffy, often because of an injury, an infection or an allergy.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Getting bigger: the river is swelling after the rain.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Getting louder or stronger: music swelling.↗ Example: Put ice on your ankle to reduce the swelling.↗ · The swelling went down after two days.↗ · There was a big swelling where the bee stung me.↗ · Her lips started swelling, so we called an ambulance.↗ · The river is swelling after the storm.↗ · The music kept swelling louder and louder.↗ · Raise your foot to help the swelling.↗ · The wooden door is swelling in the damp, so it sticks.↗ · The ship, with swelling sails and a favorable wind, glided away smoothly and lightly over the calm sea.↗ · Though the waters thereof roar and foam, though the mountains shake at the swelling thereof.↗ (Writings PSA.46.4, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou rulest the proud swelling of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them.↗ (Writings PSA.89.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.↗ (Prophets ISA.30.13, JPS 1917)↗

swept — Everyday, meaning 1: Swept is the past of sweep: cleaned the floor or ground with a brush or broom.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Swept means moved quickly and smoothly, or pushed or carried along with force, like a wave sweeping something away.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Swept can mean spread fast over an area, like news or fire sweeping across a country.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A team that «swept» won every game.↗ Example: I swept the leaves off the path.↗ · The river swept the bridge away.↗ · She swept into the room in a long dress.↗ · The cold wind swept across the field.↗ · A wave swept his bucket out to sea.↗ · We swept up all the broken glass carefully.↗ · The new game swept through the whole school.↗ · Here he swept a path, there he trained a twig.↗ · And he spoke unto the congregation, saying: 'Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away in all their sins.'↗ (Torah NUM.16.26, JPS 1917)↗ · And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying: 'Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here; lest thou be swept away in the iniquity of the city.'↗ (Torah GEN.19.15, JPS 1917)↗ · And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said: 'Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be swept away.'↗ (Torah GEN.19.17, JPS 1917)↗ · The brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook, the brook Kishon.↗ (Prophets JDG.5.21, JPS 1917)↗ · But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away, both ye and your king.'↗ (Prophets 1SA.12.25, JPS 1917)↗ · Much food is in the tillage of the poor; but there is that is swept away by want of righteousness.↗ (Writings PRO.13.23, JPS 1917)↗

swerve — Everyday, meaning 1: To swerve is to change direction suddenly, especially to avoid hitting something: the car swerved to miss the dog.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A swerve is a sudden change of direction.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, slang) To swerve something is to avoid it on purpose.↗ e.g. I swerved that party.↗ Example: The bus swerved to avoid a fallen tree.↗ · The cyclist swerved and nearly fell off.↗ · His free kick swerved into the top corner of the goal.↗ · She swerved past two defenders and scored.↗ · The car made a sudden swerve.↗ · Never run into the road: a driver may not be able to swerve in time.↗ · I'm going to swerve the maths club today, said Leo (slang).↗

swift — Everyday, meaning 1: Very fast, quick in moving.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Happening quickly or without delay: «a swift reply».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A small, fast bird with long pointed wings that spends most of its life flying.↗ Example: The swift river carried the boat away.↗ · The cheetah is swift and strong.↗ · Thank you for your swift reply.↗ · The police took swift action.↗ · Swifts fly south for the winter.↗ · She made a swift recovery after her illness.↗ · A swift can fly hundreds of kilometres in a day.↗ · He leaped into the deep, swift stream.↗ · My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.↗ (Writings JOB.7.6, JPS 1917)↗ · A heart that deviseth wicked thoughts, feet that are swift in running to evil; (Writings PRO.6.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.↗ (Writings JOB.9.25, JPS 1917)↗

swiftlet — Everyday, meaning 1: A small bird of the swift family living in tropical Asia and Australia, many of which nest in caves and find their way in the dark with clicking sounds (echolocation).↗ Example: Swiftlets nest high on the walls of dark caves.↗ · A swiftlet clicks to find its way in the dark.↗ · Some swiftlets build nests from their own spit.↗ · Bird's nest soup is made from swiftlet nests.↗ · Swiftlets catch insects while flying.↗ · The cave was full of the sound of swiftlets.↗

swiftly — Everyday, meaning 1: Swiftly means quickly or fast.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Swiftly means happening very soon, without delay.↗ Example: The fox ran swiftly into the woods.↗ · The river flows swiftly after heavy rain.↗ · The firefighters acted swiftly.↗ · She swiftly changed the subject.↗ · Leave the room swiftly and quietly when the alarm rings.↗ · Time passes swiftly in the holidays.↗ · The teacher swiftly stopped the argument.↗ · They leaped into it, and rowed swiftly away.↗ · He sendeth out His commandment upon earth; His word runneth very swiftly.↗ (Writings PSA.147.15, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD answered me, and said: 'Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that a man may read it swiftly.↗ (Prophets HAB.2.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; (Prophets ISA.5.26, JPS 1917)↗

swiftness — Everyday, meaning 1: Swiftness is the quality of being very quick or fast.↗ Example: The hare ran with great swiftness.↗ · Her swiftness won the race.↗ · He was proud of his swiftness.↗

swim — Everyday, meaning 1: To swim means to move through water using your arms and legs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A swim is a time when you swim: go for a swim.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Fish swim using their fins and tails.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «My head is swimming» means you feel dizzy.↗ Example: Lily swims 8 laps each day.↗ · He swam 200 meters.↗ · They swim for 45 minutes.↗ · How many laps did she swim in a week?↗ · Always swim between the red and yellow flags.↗ · Fish swim in schools.↗ · We go for a swim after school on Fridays.↗ · I learned to swim when I was five.↗ · “Shall we swim or fly, Peter?”↗ · And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.↗ (Prophets 2KI.6.6, JPS 1917)↗ · I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; I melt away my couch with my tears.↗ (Writings PSA.6.7, JPS 1917)↗ · Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.↗ (Prophets EZK.47.5, JPS 1917)↗

swimmer — Everyday, meaning 1: A swimmer is a person or animal that swims, or who is swimming.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A good or strong swimmer can swim well; a weak swimmer cannot.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Swimmers (Australian, informal) are swimming costumes.↗ Example: She is a very strong swimmer.↗ · The lifeguard watched the swimmers carefully.↗ · Even good swimmers should not swim alone.↗ · Dolphins are fast swimmers.↗ · The swimmers dived in when the whistle blew.↗ · Pack your swimmers and a towel!↗ (Australian)↗ · The Tsar was a good swimmer.↗

swimming — Everyday, meaning 1: The sport or activity of moving through water using your arms and legs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Moving through water right now (the -ing form of swim): «The ducks are swimming».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Used before a noun for things meant for swimming: a swimming pool, a swimming costume.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Of the head or eyes: feeling dizzy or full of tears (less common: «my head is swimming»).↗ Example: I go swimming every Saturday morning.↗ · Swimming is good exercise for the heart.↗ · We had a swimming lesson at the leisure centre.↗ · The fish were swimming round and round the tank.↗ · Only go swimming when a lifeguard or adult is watching.↗ · Don't forget your swimming goggles.↗ · In Australia many children learn swimming at school.↗ · The pool is closed for swimming after dark.↗ · My head was swimming after the spinning ride.↗ · Pinocchio went on swimming close to shore.↗

swimsuit — Everyday, meaning 1: A swimsuit is a piece of clothing worn for swimming, especially a one-piece suit for girls and women.↗ Example: Don't forget your swimsuit for swimming lessons.↗ · Her swimsuit is blue with yellow stars.↗ · Hang your wet swimsuit up to dry.↗ · The parts covered by your swimsuit are private.↗ · I changed into my swimsuit at the beach.↗ · A long-sleeved swimsuit protects you from the sun.↗ · My swimsuit was full of sand after the beach.↗ · Wash the chlorine out of your swimsuit after the pool.↗