sword

sword
n.
1 a weapon usu. of metal with a long blade and hilt with a handguard, used esp. for thrusting or striking, and often worn as part of ceremonial dress.
2 (prec. by the) a war. b military power.
Phrases and idioms:
put to the sword kill, esp. in war. sword-bearer an official carrying the sovereign's etc. sword on a formal occasion. sword dance a dance in which the performers brandish swords or step about swords laid on the ground. sword grass a grass, Scirpus americanus, with swordlike leaves. sword knot a ribbon or tassel attached to a sword-hilt orig. for securing it to the wrist. sword lily = GLADIOLUS. sword of Damocles an imminent danger (from Damokles, flatterer of Dionysius of Syracuse (4th c. BC) made to feast while a sword hung by a hair over him). the sword of justice judicial authority. Sword of State a sword borne before the sovereign on State occasions. sword-swallower a person ostensibly or actually swallowing sword blades as entertainment.
Derivatives:
swordlike adj.
Etymology: OE sw(e)ord f. Gmc

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sword — (s[=o]rd), n. [OE. swerd, AS. sweord; akin to OFries. swerd, swird, D. zwaard, OS. swerd, OHG. swert, G. schwert, Icel. sver[eth], Sw. sv[ a]rd, Dan. sv[ae]rd; of uncertain origin.] 1. An offensive weapon, having a long and usually sharp pointed… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sword — ► NOUN 1) a weapon with a long metal blade and a hilt with a handguard, used for thrusting or striking. 2) (the sword) literary military power; violence. ● beat (or turn) swords into ploughshares Cf. ↑turn swords into ploughshares ● he who liv …   English terms dictionary

  • sword — [so:d US so:rd] n [: Old English; Origin: sweord] 1.) a weapon with a long pointed blade and a handle 2.) a/the sword of Damocles literary a bad thing that might happen at any time ▪ The treaty hung like a sword of Damocles over French politics.… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • SWORD — est un jeu de rôle. Vous êtes dans la peau d un personnage et vous montez de niveau, il y a des combats, et c est à travers un monde imaginaire ou virtuel et fictif. Ce n est bien sur pas du 3D mais le remplissage est très bon sans compter les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sword — est un jeu de rôle. Vous êtes dans la peau d un personnage et vous montez de niveau, il y a des combats, et c est à travers un monde imaginaire ou virtuel et fictif. Ce n est bien sur pas du 3D mais le remplissage est très bon sans compter les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sword — [ sɔrd ] noun count ** a weapon with a short handle and a long sharp blade cross swords (with someone) to disagree or argue with someone about something: Once again, they are crossing swords over the issue of welfare reform. a double edged/two… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sword — [sôrd] n. [ME < OE sweord, akin to Ger schwert, prob. < IE base * swer , to cut, pierce] 1. a hand weapon having a long, sharp pointed blade, usually with a sharp edge on one or both sides, set in a hilt; broadsword, rapier, saber, scimitar …   English World dictionary

  • sword — O.E. sweord, from P.Gmc. *swerdan (Cf. O.S., O.Fris. swerd, O.N. sverð, Swed. svärd, M.Du. swaert, Du. zwaard, O.H.G. swert, Ger. Schwert), related to O.H.G. sweran to hurt, from *swertha , lit. the cutting weapon, from PIE root …   Etymology dictionary

  • sword|ed — «SR dihd, SOHR », adjective. armed with a sword …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sword — For other uses, see Sword (disambiguation) and Swords (disambiguation). Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century A sword is a bladed weapon (edged weapon) used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the… …   Wikipedia

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