swathe

English

WOTD – 05 November 2011

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation)IPA^(key):/sweɪð/
• (General American)IPA^(key):/swɑð/,/sweɪð/,/swɔð/

• Audio(US):

  (file)

• Audio(General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes:-eɪð

Etymology 1

FromMiddle Englishswathe,swath,fromOld Englishswaþu,swæþ(“bandage”),probably akin toOld Englishswaþul,sweþel(“a swathe, wrap, band, bandage”).

Noun

swathe(pluralswathes)

1. Abandage;a band.

Translations

bandage

• Bulgarian:бинтm(bint)
• Catalan:bena(ca)f,banda(ca)f
• Czech:pruh(cs)m,pás(cs)m
• Finnish:side(fi),kääre(fi)
• German:Verband(de)m,Bandage(de)f
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek:κειρίαf(keiría)

• Hungarian:batyu(hu),pólya(hu)
• Russian:бинт(ru)m(bint),обмо́тка(ru)f(obmótka),банда́ж(ru)m(bandáž)
• Serbo-Croatian:завојm(závoj)

Etymology 2

FromMiddle Englishswathen,fromOld English*swaþian,akin toOld Englishbesweþian(“to swathe, swaddle”).

Verb

swathe(third-person singular simple presentswathes,present participleswathing,simple past and past participleswathed)

1. Tobindwith a swathe, band, bandage, or rollers
   • 1664,A briefe description of the whole world wherein is particularly described all the monarchies, empires, and kingdoms of the same, with their academies, as also their severall titles and scituations thereunto adjoyning,Archbishop Abbot,quoted inA Dictionary of the English Language,Samuel Johnson,1755

     Their children are neverswathed,or bound about with any thing when they are first born' but are put naked into the bed with their parents to lie.

   • [1898],J[ohn] Meade Falkner,Moonfleet,London; Toronto, Ont.:Jonathan Cape,published1934,→OCLC:

     The head wasswathedin linen bands that had been white, but were now stained and discoloured with damp, but of this I shall not speak more, and beneath the chin-cloth the beard had once escaped.

   • 1980December 27, Andrea Loewenstein, “Voices in the Night”, inGay Community News,volume 8, number23,page12:

     Josie herself looked animated and almost royal with the white bandage whichswathedher forehead like a crown.

Translations

bandage

• Bulgarian:бинтовам(bintovam)
• Catalan:embenar(ca)
• Finnish:sitoa(fi),kääriä(fi)
• German:einwickeln(de),einhüllen(de),umwickeln(de)
• Maori:tāpeka,tākaikai

Etymology 3

FromMiddle Englishswathe,fromOld Englishswaþu(“track,trace”),fromProto-Germanic*swaþō.More atswath.

Noun

swathe(pluralswathes)

1. (chiefly British)Alternative spelling ofswath
   • 2011October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City”, inBBC Sport‎^[1]:

     United's stature is such that one result must not bring the immediate announcement of a shift in the balance of power in Manchester - but theswathesof empty seats around Old Trafford and the wave of attacks pouring towards David de Gea's goal in the second half emphasised that City quite simply have greater firepower and talent in their squad at present.

   • 2012,The Economist, Sep 29th 2012 issue,Venezuela’s presidential election: The autocrat and the ballot box

     As well as the advantages of abused office, Mr Chávez can boast enduring popularity among a broadswatheof poorer Venezuelans. They like him for hischarisma,humble background anddemoticspeech.

   • 2014May 24,The Guardian‎^[2]:

     The female leads who cut aswathethrough the centuries

   • 2015March 25,BBC‎^[3]:

     Colleges say 'swatheof cuts' threatens adult education

   • 2021December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Chester (1848)”, inRAIL,number947,page57:

     Thomas Brassey (1805-70) should be equally famous, yet he is unknown toswathesof the greater populace. His plaque is at Chester.

Translations

swath—seeswath

Anagrams

• Wheats,saweth,wheats

Middle English

Etymology 1

FromOld Englishswaþu,swæþ.

Alternative forms

• suaþe,swaþe

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/ˈswaːð(ə)/,/ˈswaθ/

Noun

swathe(pluralswathez)(rare)

2. A strip or wrap, especially for wrapping babies in.

Related terms

• swathel,swethel
• swathen
• swathing

Descendants

• English:swaðe

References

• “swā̆th(e,n.(2).”,inMED Online,Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007,retrieved2018-11-24.

Etymology 2

FromOld Englishswaþu,fromProto-Germanic*swaþō,fromProto-Indo-European*swem(bʰ)-(“to bend, turn, swing”).

Alternative forms

• swath,swað,swad
• (influenced bysward)swarth

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/ˈswaːð(ə)/,/ˈswaθ/

Noun

swathe(pluralswathes)

2. A swath; the track left by a scythe.
3. (rare)A strip of land as a unit of measure.
4. (rare)A trace left behind by something.

Descendants

• English:swath,swathe
• Scots:swa,swarth

References

• “swā̆th(e,n.(1).”,inMED Online,Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007,retrieved2018-11-24.