26984 words

swallows

16 definitions • 19 examples
1
to cause food, drink, pills, etc. to move from your mouth into your stomach by using the muscles of your throat:

Examples:

My throat is so sore that it really hurts when I swallow.
He put a grape into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
2
to use the muscles of your throat, as if moving something from your mouth into your stomach, because you are nervous or frightened, or are about to say something:

Examples:

He swallowed hard and said, "Dad, I have something to tell you."
3
If something large swallows (up) another thing, it makes it disappear or stop existing separately by making it part of itself:

Examples:

An increasing amount of the countryside is being swallowed (up) by the town.
Many small businesses have been swallowed (up) by large companies.
4
to use or take away a large part of something valuable:

Examples:

5
to accept something without question or without expressing disagreement:

Examples:

Not surprisingly, this excuse was too much for them to swallow.
He swallowed her story whole.
She swallowed his sales pitch hook, line, and sinker (= believed it completely).
6
to not express or show something:

Examples:

She swallowed her disappointment, saying, "That's OK, it doesn't matter."
7
an act of using the muscles of your throat, or the amount of something you move into your stomach from your mouth by using the muscles of your throat:

Examples:

He gave a swallow, then began speaking.
8
a small bird with pointed wings and a tail with two points that flies quickly and catches insects to eat as it flies
9
to force food or liquid in your mouth to move into your stomach by use of the muscles of your throat:

Examples:

[ I ] My throat is so sore that it really hurts when I swallow.
10
to accept something without question or without expressing disagreement:

Examples:

Not surprisingly, this excuse was too much for them to swallow.
11
not to express or show feelings or emotions:

Examples:

I swallowed my anger and tried to be friendly.
12
any of various types of small bird with pointed wings and a tail shaped like a fork, which flies quickly, catching insects
13
the act of forcing food or liquid in your mouth to move into your stomach, or an amount taken into your stomach at one time :

Examples:

He said he only wanted one swallow of milk – but it was a big one!
14
if an activity or process swallows or swallows up a lot of resources, it uses a lot of time, money, or people:

Examples:

The luxury brand swallowed over $3 billion in its first ten years of being taken over.
High house prices mean that a much larger percentage of a family's income is now being swallowed up by the mortgage.
15
if a company swallows or swallows up a smaller one, it buys it and makes it part of its own business:

Examples:

The small family firm was at risk of getting swallowed up by foreign competitors.
16
to accept something without doubting or questioning it:

Examples:

The MP expenses scandal revealed abuses that the taxpayer could not swallow.

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