swab
(redirected from swabs)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
swab
also swob (swŏb)n.
1.
a. A small piece of absorbent material attached to the end of a stick or wire and used for cleansing a surface, applying medicine, or collecting a sample of a substance.
b. A sample collected with a swab.
2. A sponge or patch of absorbent material used to clean the bore of a firearm or cannon.
3. A mop used for cleaning floors or decks.
4. Slang A sailor.
5. Slang A lout.
tr.v. swabbed, swab·bing, swabs also swobbed or swob·bing or swobs
1. To use a swab on.
2. To clean with a swab.
3. To collect a sample from (a person, for example) using a swab.
[Back-formation from swabber, mop for a ship's deck (from obsolete Dutch *zwabber, from zwabben, to mop) or from obsolete Dutch swabbe, mop (from Middle Dutch).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
swab
(swɒb)n
1. (Medicine) med
a. a small piece of cotton, gauze, etc, for use in applying medication, cleansing a wound, or obtaining a specimen of a secretion, etc
b. the specimen so obtained
2. (Tools) a mop for cleaning floors, decks, etc
3. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) a brush used to clean a firearm's bore
4. slang an uncouth or worthless fellow
vb, swabs, swabbing or swabbed
5. (Medicine) (tr) to clean or medicate with or as if with a swab
6. (foll by: up) to take up with a swab
[C16: probably from Middle Dutch swabbe mop; related to Norwegian svabba to splash, Dutch zwabberen to mop, German schwappen to slop over]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
swab
or swob
(swɒb)n., v. swabbed, swab•bing. n.
1. a large mop used on shipboard for cleaning decks, living quarters, etc.
2. a bit of cotton, sponge, or the like, often fixed to a stick, for applying medicaments, cleansing the mouth, etc.
3. material collected with a swab as a specimen.
4. a wad of absorbent material for cleaning the bore of a firearm.
5. Slang. a sailor; swabby.
6. Slang. a clumsy oaf.
v.t. 7. to clean with or as if with a swab.
8. to take up or apply (moisture, etc.) with or as if with a swab.
[1645–55; < swabber]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
swab
- As in "mop the decks," it is a back-formation from swabber, "sailor who mops the decks," from a Germanic base meaning "splash."See also related terms for splash.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
swab
Past participle: swabbed
Gerund: swabbing
| Imperative |
|---|
| swab |
| swab |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  swab - implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a specimen of a secretionimplement - instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end |
| 2. |  swab - cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floorscleaning device, cleaning equipment, cleaning implement - any of a large class of implements used for cleaning mop handle - the handle of a mop sponge mop - a wet mop with a sponge as the absorbent | |
| Verb | 1. | swab - wash with a swab or a mop; "swab the ship's decks" |
| 2. | swab - apply (usually a liquid) to a surface; "dab the wall with paint" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
swab
[ˈswɒb] n
(MEDICINE) (= cotton wool) → tampon m
(MEDICINE) (= sample) → prélèvement m
vt
(also swab down) [+ deck, floor] → nettoyer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
swab
n
(Naut) → Mop m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
swab
[swɒb]1. n (Med) (for cleaning wound, for specimen) → tampone m
2. vt (Naut) (also swab down) → redazzare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
swab
n. escobillón;
vt. limpiar, fregar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
swab
n hisopo or bastoncillo de algodón, palillo con punta de algodón; vt frotar con hisopo (para aplicar antiséptico, tomar una muestra, etc.)English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.