swallow

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈswɒləʊ/, SAMPA: /"swQl@U/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈswɑ.loʊ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form swallow

Third-person singular swallows

Past tense swallowed

Past participle swallowed

Present participle swallowing

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you swallow something you make it go through your mouth into your body (down your esophagus to your stomach). We swallow food and drinks.

   Young children put small toys in their mouths and sometimes swallow them.

Related words

• drink
• eat
• take

Noun

Singular swallow

Plural swallows

1. (countable) A swallow is a kind of small bird.
2. A swallow is the amount of food or liquid that goes down the throat at one time.
3. A swallow is the act of swallowing.

   He took the aspirin with a single swallow of water.