swallow

[ˈswɑːləʊ]

swallow Definition

• 1. to make food or drink go down your throat and towards your stomach
• 2. to take a breath before speaking or singing
• 3. to accept or believe something, often without thinking about it carefully

Using swallow: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "swallow" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  She swallowed the pill with a glass of water.

• Example

  He paused to swallow before continuing his speech.

• Example

  I find it hard to swallow his excuses for being late again.

• Example

  The pond was so small that it could be swallowed up by the surrounding forest.

swallow Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for swallow

• ingest
• consume
• gulp
• devour
• absorb

Antonyms for swallow

• vomit
• spit out

Phrases with swallow

• swallow one's pride

  to do something that is humiliating or beneath oneself in order to achieve a goal

  Example

  He had to swallow his pride and ask for help when he lost his job.

• swallow the bait

  to be tricked or deceived into believing something

  Example

  She swallowed the bait and invested all her savings in the fraudulent scheme.

• a bitter pill to swallow

  something that is unpleasant but must be accepted

  Example

  Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow for the team.

Origins of swallow

from Old English 'swelgan', meaning 'to swallow'

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Summary: swallow in Brief

The verb 'swallow' [ˈswɑːləʊ] has three main meanings: to make food or drink go down your throat, to take a breath before speaking or singing, and to accept or believe something without thinking. Examples include 'She swallowed the pill with a glass of water.' and 'I find it hard to swallow his excuses.' Phrases like 'swallow one's pride' and 'a bitter pill to swallow' add idiomatic and metaphorical depth to the term.