swathe

¹

[ swoth, sweyth ]

verb (used with object)

, swathed, swath·ing.

1. to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; wrap up closely or fully.
2. to bandage.
3. to enfold or envelop, as wrappings do.
4. to wrap (cloth, rope, etc.) around something.

noun

1. a band of linen or the like in which something is wrapped; wrapping; bandage.

swathe

²

[ swoth, sweyth ]

noun

1. swath.

swathe

/ sweɪð /

verb

1. to bandage (a wound, limb, etc), esp completely
2. to wrap a band, garment, etc, around, esp so as to cover completely; swaddle
3. to envelop

noun

1. a bandage or wrapping
2. a variant spelling of swath

Derived Forms

• ˈswathable, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swathe¹

before 1050; (noun) Middle English; Old English *swæth or *swath (in swathum dative plural); swaddle; (v.) Middle English swathen, late Old English swathian, derivative of the noun; cognate with Old Norse svatha

Word History and Origins

Origin of swathe¹

Old English swathian; related to swæthel swaddling clothes, Old High German swedil, Dutch zwadel; see swaddle

Example Sentences

She called him “hopelessly naïve” and said he had shown “shallow understanding of a great swathe of Scotland's population”.

From BBC

And then with this, comes a more existential conundrum for Gen Z. What if a large swathe of this generation is permanently semi-detached from the jobs market?

From BBC

The core of the hurricane is expected to pass over west-central Florida, with a large storm surge expected along a swathe of the state's coast ahead of landfall.

From BBC

Among its conditions was that a swathe of southern Lebanon - the area south of the landmark Litani river - should be kept as a buffer zone between the two sides, free of any Hezbollah fighters or weapons.

From BBC

The heiress was released on bail and placed under house arrest, but was allowed to leave her home in the daytime and roam within a large swathe of Vancouver while under supervision.

From BBC

Related Words

• bandage
• clothe
• swaddle
• wrap