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Definition of swine noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

swine

noun
 
/swaɪn/
 
/swaɪn/
(plural swines, swine)
Idioms
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  1. [countable] (informal) an unpleasant person
    • He's an arrogant little swine!
  2. [countable] (British English, informal) a difficult or unpleasant thing or task
    • The car can be a swine to start.
  3. swine
     [plural] (old use or specialist) pigs
    • a herd of swine
    • swine fever (= a disease of pigs)
    4. Word OriginOld English swīn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zwijn and German Schwein, also to sow2.
Idioms
cast, throw, etc. pearls before swine
  1. to give or offer valuable things to people who do not understand their value
See swine in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: swine

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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B2
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