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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Swallow-wort


SWAL'LOW-WORT, noun A plant of the genus Asclepias; hirundinaria. It grows in the southern part of Europe, and is said to have been successfully used as a medicine, chiefly in dropsical cases.

The African swallow-wort is of the genus Stapelia.

SWAL'LOW, verb transitive

1. To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet or oesophagus into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink. Food should be well chewed before it is swallowed.

2. To absorb; to draw and sink into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; usually followed by up. The Malstrom off the coast of Norway, it is said, will swallow up a ship.

In bogs swallow'd up and lost.

The earth opened and swallowed them up. Numbers 16:1.

3. To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly.

4. To engross; to appropriate.

Homer--has swallowed up the honor of those who succeeded him.

5. To occupy; to employ.

The necessary provision of life swallows the greatest part of their time.

6. To seize and waste.

Corruption swallow'd what the liberal hand

Of bounty scatter'd.

7. To engross; to engage completely.

The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up of wine. Isaiah 28:1.

8. To exhaust; to consume. His expenses swallow up all his income.

SWAL'LOW, noun The gullet or oesophagus; the throat.

1. Voracity.

2. As much as is swallowed at once.