Swallow | Mean of swallow in English Dictionary

/ˈswɑːloʊ/

• Verb
• to take (something) into your stomach through your mouth and throat
1. He swallowed the grape whole.
2. Chew your food well before you swallow.
• to move the muscles in your throat as if you are swallowing something often because you are nervous
1. I swallowed before answering.
2. The boss said, “Come in.” I swallowed hard and walked in.
3. If she insults you, just swallow hard [=make an effort to control yourself] and don't say anything.
• to flow over and cover (something) completely
1. The wave swallowed up the small vessel.
2. More small companies are being swallowed (up) [=taken over, absorbed] by giant conglomerates.
3. We watched as he was swallowed up by the crowd. [=as he disappeared into the crowd]

• to use up (an amount of money)
1. The cost of childcare swallows up most of her income.
• to accept or believe (something)
1. Her story is pretty hard to swallow.
2. I can usually take criticism, but this is more than I can swallow.
• to not allow yourself to show or be affected by (an emotion)
1. We have to swallow our disappointment/anger about the election and keep trying to make things better.
2. She had to swallow her pride and ask for help.
• Noun
• an amount that is swallowed at one time
1. She took a swallow of water to wash down the pill.
2. He drank the water in/with one swallow.
• a small bird that has long wings and a deeply forked tail