Sweet-scented Sweet"-scent`ed adjective Having a sweet scent or smell; fragrant.

Sweet-scented shrub (Botany) , a shrub of the genus Calycanthus , the flowers of which, when crushed, have a fragrance resembling that of strawberries.

Sweet-sop Sweet"-sop` noun (Botany) A kind of custard apple ( Anona squamosa ). See under Custard .

Sweetbread Sweet"bread` noun 1. Either the thymus gland or the pancreas, the former being called neck, or throat, sweetbread , the latter belly sweetbread . The sweetbreads of ruminants, esp. of the calf, are highly esteemed as food. See Pancreas , and Thymus .

2. (Anat.) The pancreas.

Sweetbrier Sweet"bri`er noun (Botany) A kind of rose ( Rosa rubiginosa ) with minutely glandular and fragrant foliage. The small-flowered sweetbrier is Rosa micrantha .

Sweeten Sweet"en transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sweetened ; present participle & verbal noun Sweetening .] [ See Sweet , adjective ] 1. To make sweet to the taste; as, to sweeten tea.

2. To make pleasing or grateful to the mind or feelings; as, to sweeten life; to sweeten friendship.

3. To make mild or kind; to soften; as, to sweeten the temper.

4. To make less painful or laborious; to relieve; as, to sweeten the cares of life. Dryden.

And sweeten every secret tear.

Keble.

5. To soften to the eye; to make delicate.

Correggio has made his memory immortal by the strength he has given to his figures, and by sweetening his lights and shadows, and melting them into each other.

Dryden.

6. To make pure and salubrious by destroying noxious matter; as, to sweeten rooms or apartments that have been infected; to sweeten the air.

7. To make warm and fertile; -- opposed to sour ; as, to dry and sweeten soils.

8. To restore to purity; to free from taint; as, to sweeten water, butter, or meat.

Sweeten Sweet"en intransitive verb To become sweet. Bacon.

Sweetener Sweet"en·er noun One who, or that which, sweetens; one who palliates; that which moderates acrimony.

Sweetening Sweet"en·ing noun 1. The act of making sweet.

2. That which sweetens.

Sweetheart Sweet"heart` noun A lover of mistress.

Sweethearting Sweet"heart`ing noun Making love. "To play at sweethearting ." W. Black.

Sweeting Sweet"ing noun 1. A sweet apple. Ascham.

2. A darling; -- a word of endearment. Shak.

Sweetish Sweet"ish adjective Somewhat sweet. -- Sweet"ish*ness , noun

Sweetly Sweet"ly adverb [ Anglo-Saxon swētlice .] In a sweet manner.

Sweetmeat Sweet"meat` noun 1. Fruit preserved with sugar, as peaches, pears, melons, nuts, orange peel, etc.; -- usually in the plural; a confect; a confection.

2. The paint used in making patent leather.

3. (Zoology) A boat shell ( Crepidula fornicata ) of the American coast. [ Local, U.S.]

Sweetness Sweet"ness noun [ Anglo-Saxon swētness .] The quality or state of being sweet (in any sense of the adjective); gratefulness to the taste or to the smell; agreeableness.

Sweetroot Sweet"root` noun (Botany) Licorice.

Sweetwater Sweet"wa`ter noun (Botany) A variety of white grape, having a sweet watery juice; -- also called white sweetwater , and white muscadine .

Sweetweed Sweet"weed` noun (Botany) A name for two tropical American weeds ( Capraria biflora , and Scoparia dulcis ) of the Figwort family.

Sweetwood Sweet"wood` noun (Botany) (a) The true laurel ( Laurus nobilis .) (b) The timber of the tree Oreodaphne Leucoxylon , growing in Jamaica. The name is also applied to the timber of several other related trees.

Sweetwort Sweet"wort` noun Any plant of a sweet taste.

Sweigh Sweigh noun Sway; movement. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Sweinmote Swein"mote` noun See Swainmote . [ Obsolete]

Swell Swell intransitive verb [ imperfect Swelled ; past participle Swelled or Swollen ; present participle & verbal noun Swelling .] [ Anglo-Saxon swellan ; akin to Dutch zwellen , Old Saxon & Old High German swellan , German schwellen , Icelandic svella , Swedish svälla .] 1. To grow larger; to dilate or extend the exterior surface or dimensions, by matter added within, or by expansion of the inclosed substance; as, the legs swell in dropsy; a bruised part swells ; a bladder swells by inflation.

2. To increase in size or extent by any addition; to increase in volume or force; as, a river swells , and overflows its banks; sounds swell or diminish.

3. To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.

4. To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.

You swell at the tartan, as the bull is said to do at scarlet.

Sir W. Scott.

5. To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell .

6. To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling style.

7. To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle.

8. To be elated; to rise arrogantly.

Your equal mind yet swells not into state.

Dryden.

9. To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand. "Monarchs to behold the swelling scene!" Shak.

10. To become larger in amount; as, many little debts added, swell to a great amount.

11. To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big.

Here he comes, swelling like a turkey cock.

Shak.

Swell Swell transitive verb 1. To increase the size, bulk, or dimensions of; to cause to rise, dilate, or increase; as, rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring; immigration swells the population.

[ The Church] swells her high, heart-cheering tone.

Keble.

2. To aggravate; to heighten.

It is low ebb with his accuser when such peccadilloes are put to swell the charge.

Atterbury.

3. To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.

4. (Mus.) To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note.

Swell Swell noun 1. The act of swelling.

2. Gradual increase. Specifically: (a) Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance. (b) Increase in height; elevation; rise.

Little River affords navigation during a swell to within three miles of the Miami.

Jefferson.

(c) Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound.

Music arose with its voluptuous swell .

Byron.

(d) Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force.

The swell and subsidence of his periods.

Landor.

3. A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells .

4. A wave, or billow; especially, a succession of large waves; the roll of the sea after a storm; as, a heavy swell sets into the harbor.

The swell
Of the long waves that roll in yonder bay.

Tennyson.

The gigantic swells and billows of the snow.

Hawthorne.

5. (Mus.) A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign.

6. A showy, dashing person; a dandy. [ Slang]

Ground swell . See under Ground . - - Organ swell (Mus.) , a certain number of pipes inclosed in a box, the uncovering of which by means of a pedal produces increased sound. -- Swell shark (Zoology) , a small shark ( Scyllium ventricosum ) of the west coast of North America, which takes in air when caught, and swells up like a swellfish.

Swell Swell adjective Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood. [ Slang]

Swell mob . See under Mob . [ Slang]

Swelldom Swell"dom noun People of rank and fashion; the class of swells, collectively. [ Jocose]

Swellfish Swell"fish` noun (Zoology) Any plectognath fish that dilates itself, as the bur fish, puffer, or diodon.

Swelling Swell"ing noun 1. The act of that which swells; as, the swelling of rivers in spring; the swelling of the breast with pride.

Rise to the swelling of the voiceless sea.

Coleridge.

2. A protuberance; a prominence ; especially (Medicine) , an unnatural prominence or protuberance; as, a scrofulous swelling .

The superficies of such plates are not even, but have many cavities and swellings .

Sir I. Newton.

Swellish Swell"ish adjective Dandified; stylish. [ Slang]

Swelltoad Swell"toad` noun (Zoology) A swellfish.

Swelt Swelt obsolete imperfect of Swell .

Swelt Swelt intransitive verb [ Middle English swelten to die, to swoon or faint, Anglo-Saxon sweltan to die; akin to OD. swelten to hunger, to fail, Old Saxon sweltan to die, Icelandic svelta to die, to hunger, Swedish svälta to hunger, Danish sulte , Goth. sviltan to die. Confer Swelter , Sweltry .] 1. To die; to perish. [ Obsolete]

2. To faint; to swoon. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Night she swelt for passing joy.

Spenser.

Swelt Swelt transitive verb To overpower, as with heat; to cause to faint; to swelter. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.] Bp. Hall.

Swelter Swel"ter intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sweltered ; present participle & verbal noun Sweltering .] [ From Swelt , intransitive verb ] 1. To be overcome and faint with heat; to be ready to perish with heat. " Sweltered cattle." Coleridge.

2. To welter; to soak. [ Obsolete] Drayton.

Swelter Swel"ter transitive verb 1. To oppress with heat. Bentley.

2. To exude, like sweat. [ R.] Shak.

Sweltry Swel"try adjective [ See Swelter , Swelt , intransitive verb , and confer Sultry .] Suffocating with heat; oppressively hot; sultry. [ R.] Evelyn.

Swelve Swel"ve transitive verb To swallow. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Swept Swept imperfect & past participle of Sweep .

Swerd Swerd noun & v. See Sward , noun & v. [ Obsolete]

Swerd Swerd noun Sword. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Swerve Swerve intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Swerved ; present participle & verbal noun Swerving .] [ Middle English swerven , Anglo-Saxon sweorfan to wipe off, to file, to polish; akin to OFries. swerva to creep, Dutch zwerven to swerve, to rope, Old Saxon swerban to wipe off, Middle High German swerben to be whirled, Old High German swerban to wipe off, Icelandic sverfa to file, Goth. swaírban (in comp.) to wipe, and perhaps to English swarm . Confer Swarm .] 1. To stray; to wander; to rope. [ Obsolete]

A maid thitherward did run,
To catch her sparrow which from her did swerve .

Sir P. Sidney.

2. To go out of a straight line; to deflect. "The point [ of the sword] swerved ." Sir P. Sidney.

3. To wander from any line prescribed, or from a rule or duty; to depart from what is established by law, duty, custom, or the like; to deviate.

I swerve not from thy commandments.

Bk. of Com. Prayer.

They swerve from the strict letter of the law.

Clarendon.

Many who, through the contagion of evil example, swerve exceedingly from the rules of their holy religion.

Atterbury.

4. To bend; to incline. "The battle swerved ." Milton.

5. To climb or move upward by winding or turning.

The tree was high;
Yet nimbly up from bough to bough I swerved .

Dryden.

Swerve Swerve transitive verb To turn aside. Gauden.

Sweven Swe"ven noun [ Anglo-Saxon swefen sleep, dream; akin to swebban , swefian , to put to sleep, to kill. √176. See Somnolent .] A vision seen in sleep; a dream. [ Obsolete] Wycliff (Acts ii. 17).

I defy both sweven and dream.

Chaucer.

Swich Swich adjective [ See Such .] Such. [ Obsolete]

Swich things as that I know I will declare.

Chaucer.

Swietenia Swie·te"ni·a noun [ New Latin Named after Gerard Van Sweiten , physician to Maria Theresa of Austria.] (Botany) A genus of meliaceous trees consisting of one species ( Sweitenia Mahogoni ), the mahogany tree.

Swift Swift adjective [ Compar. Swifter ; superl. Swiftest .] [ Anglo-Saxon swift ; akin to swāpan to sweep, swipu a whip; confer swīfan to move quickly, to revolve. See Swoop , intransitive verb , and confer Swivel , Squib .] 1. Moving a great distance in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy; prompt.

My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

James i. 19.

Swift of dispatch and easy of access.

Dryden.

And bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 Pet. ii. 1.

2. Of short continuance; passing away quickly. Shak.

» Swift is often used in the formation of compounds which are generally self-explaining; as, swift -darting, swift -footed, swift -winged, etc.

Syn. -- Quick; fleet; speedy; rapid; expeditious.

Swift Swift adverb Swiftly. [ Obsolete or Poetic] Shak.

Ply swift and strong the oar.

Southey.

Swift Swift noun 1. The current of a stream. [ R.] Walton.

2. (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of small, long-winged, insectivorous birds of the family Micropodidæ . In form and habits the swifts resemble swallows, but they are destitute of complex vocal muscles and are not singing birds, but belong to a widely different group allied to the humming birds.

» The common European swift ( Cypselus, or Micropus, apus ) nests in church steeples and under the tiles of roofs, and is noted for its rapid flight and shrill screams. It is called also black martin , black swift , hawk swallow , devil bird , swingdevil , screech martin , and shreik owl . The common American, or chimney, swift ( Chætura pelagica ) has sharp rigid tips to the tail feathers. It attaches its nest to the inner walls of chimneys, and is called also chimney swallow . The Australian swift ( Chætura caudacuta ) also has sharp naked tips to the tail quills. The European Alpine swift ( Cypselus melba ) is whitish beneath, with a white band across the breast. The common Indian swift is Cypselus affinis . See also Palm swift , under Palm , and Tree swift , under Tree .

3. (Zoology) Any one of several species of lizards, as the pine lizard.

4. (Zoology) The ghost moth. See under Ghost .

5. [ Confer Swivel .] A reel, or turning instrument, for winding yarn, thread, etc.; -- used chiefly in the plural.

6. The main card cylinder of a flax-carding machine.

Swifter Swift"er noun [ Confer Swivel .] (Nautical) (a) A rope used to retain the bars of the capstan in their sockets while men are turning it. (b) A rope used to encircle a boat longitudinally, to strengthen and defend her sides. (c) The forward shroud of a lower mast.

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