swallow

To move food, drink, or another substance from your mouth down your throat into your stomach.

• Swallow the tablet with water.
• He accidentally swallowed a small coin.
• Can you swallow solid food yet?

Similar words: gulp down

Opposites: spit out

Common phrases: swallow a pill, swallow some water, swallow your food

To make the throat movement that sends food or liquid down, sometimes because you feel nervous.

• My throat hurts when I swallow.
• She swallowed hard before speaking to the crowd.
• He could barely swallow after the operation.

Similar words: gulp

Common phrases: swallow hard, swallow nervously, unable to swallow

To believe or accept something without asking questions, even when it seems unlikely.

• I will not swallow that excuse.
• They swallowed his story about the missing money.
• Do you really expect us to swallow those claims?

Similar words: believe, accept, buy

Opposites: reject, doubt

Common phrases: swallow a story, swallow an excuse, swallow something whole

A small bird with pointed wings and a divided tail that catches insects while flying.

• A swallow flew past the window.
• Swallows built a nest under our roof.
• We watched the swallows catching insects above the field.

Common phrases: barn swallow, swallow nest, young swallow, swallow migration

The amount of food or drink that you send down your throat at one time.

• She took a swallow of water.
• He finished the milk in two swallows.
• One large swallow was enough to empty the glass.

How to use it: a swallow of something (He took a swallow of juice.)

Similar words: mouthful, gulp

Common phrases: a swallow of, one large swallow, a small swallow

The act of moving food or liquid from your mouth down your throat.

• Each swallow hurt my throat.
• The doctor watched the movement during a swallow.
• A nervous swallow interrupted her answer.

Similar words: gulp

Common phrases: a painful swallow, each swallow, a nervous swallow