Swallow

English Meaning

Any one of numerous species of passerine birds of the family Hirundinidæ, especially one of those species in which the tail is deeply forked. They have long, pointed wings, and are noted for the swiftness and gracefulness of their flight.

1. To cause (food or drink, for example) to pass through the mouth and throat into the stomach.
2. To put up with (something unpleasant): swallowed the insults and kept on working.
3. To refrain from expressing; suppress: swallow one's feelings.
4. To consume or destroy as if by ingestion; devour: a building that was swallowed up by fire.
5. Slang To believe without question: swallowed the alibi.
6. To take back; retract: swallow one's words.
7. To say inarticulately; mumble: The actor swallowed his lines.
8. To perform the act of swallowing.
9. The act of swallowing.
10. An amount swallowed.
11. Nautical The channel through which a rope runs in a block or a mooring chock.
12. Any of various small graceful swift-flying passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, having long pointed wings, a usually notched or forked tail, and a large mouth for catching flying insects and noted for their regular migrations in large numbers, often over long distances.
13. Any of various similar birds, such as a swift.