swale

English

Etymology

Possibly, from Middle English, "shade", perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse svalr

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪl

Noun

swale (plural swales)

1. A low tract of moist or marshy land.
2. A long narrow and shallow trough between ridges on a beach, running parallel to the coastline.
3. A shallow troughlike depression that's created to carry water during rainstorms or snow melts; a drainage ditch.
4. A shallow, usually grassy depression sloping downward from a plains upland meadow or level vegetated ridgetop.
5. A shallow trough dug into the land on contour (horizontally with no slope). Its purpose being to allow water time to percolate into the soil.
6. (UK, dialect) A gutter in a candle.

Translations

low tract of moist or marshy land

• Russian: низина (ru) (nizina) f, топь (ru) (topʹ) f

long narrow and shallow trough between ridges on a beach

shallow troughlike depression created to carry water

• Portuguese: Canaleta (pt), Valetas de drenagem (pt)

shallow depression sloping downward from a meadow

Anagrams

• lawes, sweal, Wales, wales, weals