swab

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|medicine}} A small piece of [[soft]], [[absorbent]] [[material]], such as [[gauze]], used to [[clean]] [[wound]]s, [[apply]] [[medicine]], or take [[sample]]s of [[body]] [[fluid]]s. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.
2. A [[sample]] taken with a swab {{qualifier|piece of absorbent material}}.
3. A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.
4. A [[mop]], especially on a [[ship]].
5. {{lb|en|slang|obsolete}} A junior [[sailor]]; a [[swabby]].
6. {{lb|en|slang}} A low or contemptible person.
7. {{lb|en|slang}} A [[naval]] [[officer]]'s [[epaulet]].

Verb

1. {{lb|en|transitive}} To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.

Proper noun

1. {{surname|en}}.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.