name · noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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swŏb
/swɒb/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒb
CMU ARPABET:S W AA1 B
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A sample taken with a swab (piece of absorbent material).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A mop, especially on a ship.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A sailor; a swabby.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A naval officer's epaulet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
swab the deck of a ship
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floors
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a specimen of a secretion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: implement
11
verb
Meaning 11
apply (usually a liquid) to a surface
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
dab the wall with paint
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dab, swob
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: put on, apply
12
verb
Meaning 12
wash with a swab or a mop
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
swab the ship's decks
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: swob
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wipe up, mop up, mop
History
Etymology
Mid 17th century (in the sense 'mop for cleaning the decks'): back-formation from Middle English swabber (“sailor detailed to swab decks”), from Middle Dutch zwabber, from a Germanic base meaning 'splash' or 'sway', also found as nautical German Schwabber and Volga German Schwabber ("scrubber, mop, swab")
Across languages
Translations
59 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
тампон
(tampon)
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Catalan:
escovilló
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Dutch:
watje, prop
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Faroese:
tvørri
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
French:
écouvillon
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
German:
Tupfer
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Irish:
maipín
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Italian:
tampone
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Latin:
turunda
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Māori:
kope
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Polish:
wacik
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Spanish:
hisopo (Arg., Mex., Ur. y Ven.)
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Welsh:
swab
— a small piece of soft, absorbent material
Dutch:
uitstrijkje
— A sample taken with a swab
German:
Abstrich
— A sample taken with a swab
Irish:
maipíneacht
— A sample taken with a swab
Italian:
tampone
— A sample taken with a swab
Macedonian:
брис
(bris)
— A sample taken with a swab
Russian:
мазок
(mazok)
— A sample taken with a swab
Spanish:
frotis
— A sample taken with a swab
Turkish:
sıyırma
— A sample taken with a swab
Welsh:
swabiad
— A sample taken with a swab
Catalan:
escovilló
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Dutch:
poetsvod,doekje
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
German:
Läppchen
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
German:
Tupfer
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Hungarian:
rongy
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Hungarian:
törlőrongy
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Irish:
ceirt
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Italian:
panno
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Italian:
straccio
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Serbo-Croatian:
tupfer
— A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
Bulgarian:
моп
(mop)
— A mop, especially on a ship
Dutch:
zwabber
— A mop, especially on a ship
German:
Wischmopp
— A mop, especially on a ship
Ido:
swabro
— A mop, especially on a ship
Portuguese:
cotonete
— A mop, especially on a ship
Swedish:
svabb
— A mop, especially on a ship
Turkish:
sıyırma
— A mop, especially on a ship
Bulgarian:
матрос
(matros)
— A sailor
Dutch:
koopvaardijmatroos
— A sailor
German:
Seemann
— A sailor
German:
Matrose
— A sailor
Hungarian:
tengerész
— A sailor
Bulgarian:
бърша с моп
(bǎrša s mop)
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Dutch:
zwabberen, dweilen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
German:
putzen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
German:
abputzen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
German:
wischen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
German:
abwischen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Ido:
swabragar
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Luxembourgish:
betuppen
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Māori:
ūkui
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Russian:
вытира́ть
(vytirátʹ)
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Russian:
чи́стить
(čístitʹ)
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Serbo-Croatian:
obrisati
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Swedish:
svabba
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Swedish:
moppa
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
Swedish:
våttorka
— To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab