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swath

 - 4 dictionary results

swath

[swoth, swawth]
–noun
1. the space covered by the stroke of a scythe or the cut of a mowing machine.
2. the piece or strip so cut.
3. a line or ridge of grass, grain, or the like, cut and thrown together by a scythe or mowing machine.
4. a strip, belt, or long and relatively narrow extent of anything.
5. cut a swath, to make a pretentious display; attract notice: The new doctor cut a swath in the small community.
Also, swathe.


Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE swæth footprint; c. G Shwade
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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swath   (swŏth, swôth)   
n.  
    1. The width of a scythe stroke or a mowing-machine blade.

    2. A path of this width made in mowing.

    3. The mown grass or grain lying on such a path.

  1. Something likened to a swath; a strip.


[Middle English swathe, from Old English swæth, track.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

swath 
O.E. swæð, swaðu "track, trace, band," from P.Gmc. *swathan, *swatho (cf. O.Fris. swethe "boundary made by a scythe," M.Du. swade, Ger. Schwad "a row of cut grass"); ulterior connections uncertain. Meaning "space covered by the single cut of a scythe" emerged c.1475, and that of "strip, lengthwise extent" is from c.1605.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

swath

see cut a wide swath.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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