- a weapon with a long metal blade (= sharp cutting part) and a handle
- to draw/sheathe a sword (= to take it out of/put it into its cover)
Extra ExamplesTopics Historyc1, War and conflictc1- I thrust my sword into his chest.
- the sword of justice
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- short
- sharp
- …
- be armed with
- carry
- hold
- …
- arm
- belt
- blade
- …
- sword of
- be put to the sword
- the blade, edge, hilt, tip, etc. of a sword
More Like This Silent lettersSilent lettersWord OriginOld English sw(e)ord, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zwaard and German Schwert.Want to learn more?
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Idioms
See sword in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionarybe a double-edged/two-edged sword/weapon
- to be something that has both advantages and disadvantages
- Fame is a double-edged sword.
cross swords (with somebody)
- to fight or argue with somebodyTopics Opinion and argumentc2
the pen is mightier than the sword
- (saying) people who write books, poems, etc. have a greater effect on history and human affairs than soldiers and wars
put somebody to the sword
- (old-fashioned or literary) to kill somebody with a sword
- All the men were put to the sword.
a/the sword of Damocles
- (literary) a bad or unpleasant thing that might happen to you at any time and that makes you feel worried or frightened
turn swords into ploughshares
- (literary) to stop fighting and return to peaceful activitiesTopics War and conflictc2
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sword