- 1[transitive, intransitive] to make food, drink, etc. go down your throat into your stomach swallow (something) Always chew food well before swallowing it. I had a sore throat and it hurt to swallow. swallow something + adj. The pills should be swallowed whole.
move throat muscles - 2[intransitive] to move the muscles of your throat as if you were swallowing something, especially because you are nervous She swallowed hard and told him the bad news.
- 3[transitive, often passive] to take someone or something in or completely cover them, so that they cannot be seen or no longer exist separately swallow somebody/something I watched her walk down the road until she was swallowed by the darkness. swallow somebody/something up Large areas that were formerly rural have been swallowed up by towns. use up money
- 4[transitive] swallow somebody/something (up) to use up something completely, especially an amount of money Most of my salary gets swallowed (up) by the rent and bills. believe
- 5[transitive] to accept that something is true; to believe something swallow something I found her excuse very hard to swallow. swallow something + adj. He told her a pack of lies, but she swallowed it whole. feelings
- 6[transitive] swallow something to hide your feelings to swallow your doubts You're going to have to swallow your pride and ask for your job back. accept insults
- 7[transitive] swallow something to accept insults, criticisms, etc. without complaining or protesting I was surprised that he just sat there and swallowed all their remarks. Idioms
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NAmE//ˈswɑloʊ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they swallow he / she / it swallows
past simple swallowed
-ing form swallowing
a fact or an event that is unpleasant and difficult to accept The election defeat was a bitter pill for the party to swallow.
Check pronunciation: swallow