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

From Middle English swathe, swath, from Old English swaþu, swæþ (“bandage”), probably akin to Old English swaþul, sweþel (“a swathe, wrap, band, bandage”).

Noun

swathe (plural swathes)

1. A bandage; a band

Translations

bandage

• Bulgarian: бинт m (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: κειρία f (keiría)

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

Etymology 2

From Middle English swathen, from Old English *swaþian, akin to Old English besweþian (“to swathe, swaddle”).

Verb

swathe (third-person singular simple present swathes, present participle swathing, simple past and past participle swathed)

1. To bind with 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 in A Dictionary of the English Language, Samuel Johnson, 1755

     Their children are never swathed, 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, published 1934, →OCLC:

     The head was swathed in 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.

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

From Middle English swathe, from Old English swaþu (“track, trace”), from Proto-Germanic *swaþō. More at swath.

Noun

swathe (plural swathes)

1. (chiefly British) Alternative spelling of swath
   • 2011 October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City”, in BBC 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 the swathes of 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 broad swathe of poorer Venezuelans. They like him for his charisma, humble background and demotic speech.

   • 2014 May 24, The Guardian‎^[2]:

     The female leads who cut a swathe through the centuries

   • 2015 March 25, BBC‎^[3]:

     Colleges say 'swathe of cuts' threatens adult education

   • 2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Chester (1848)”, in RAIL, number 947, page 57:

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

Translations

swath — see swath

Anagrams

• Wheats, saweth, wheats

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English swaþu, swæþ.

Alternative forms

• suaþe, swaþe

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswaːð(ə)/, /ˈswaθ/

Noun

swathe (plural swathez) (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).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-24.

Etymology 2

From Old English swaþu, from Proto-Germanic *swaþō, from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to bend, turn, swing”).

Alternative forms

• swath, swað, swad
• (influenced by sward) swarth

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswaːð(ə)/, /ˈswaθ/

Noun

swathe (plural swathes)

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).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-24.