swallow up

swallow up
1) PHRASAL VERB If one thing is swallowed up by another, it becomes part of the first thing and no longer has a separate identity of its own.

[V P n (not pron)] During the 1980s monster publishing houses started to swallow up smaller companies. [Also V n P]

2) PHRASAL VERB If something swallows up money or resources, it uses them entirely while giving very little in return.

[V P n (not pron)] A seven-day TV ad campaign could swallow up the best part of ₤50,000...

[V-ed P] Farmers could see a quarter of their income swallowed up by the interest rate rise. [Also V n P]

3) PHRASAL VERB If a person or thing is swallowed up by something, they disappear into it so that you cannot see them any more.

[be V-ed P] He headed back towards the flea market and was quickly swallowed up in the crowd...

[V P n (not pron)] Weeds had swallowed up the garden. [Also V n P]


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • Swallow — (englisch für „Schwalbe“) steht für: eine ehemalige britische Automarke, siehe Swallow (Automarke) eine Lokomotive der Great Western Railway, siehe Swallow (Lokomotive) den IATA Code für Air Southwest den Fahrzeughersteller Swallow Sidecars,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Swallow — Swal low, n. [OE. swalowe, AS. swalewe, swealwe; akin to D. zwaluw, OHG. swalawa, G. schwalbe, Icel. & Sw. svala, Dan. svale.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of passerine birds of the family {Hirundinid[ae]}, especially one of those… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swallow — swal‧low [ˈswɒləʊ ǁ ˈswɑːloʊ] verb [transitive] 1. to accept something unpleasant: • Car dealers are sceptical that customers will swallow the price increases. 2. if an activity swallows a lot of time or money, it takes that length of time or… …   Financial and business terms

  • Swallow — Swal low, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Swallowed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Swallowing}.] [OE. swolewen, swolwen, swolhen, AS. swelgan; akin to D. zwelgen, OHG. swelahan, swelgan, G. schwelgen to feast, to revel, Icel. svelgia to swallow, SW. sv[ a]lja, Dan.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swallow — Ⅰ. swallow [1] ► VERB 1) cause or allow (food, drink, etc.) to pass down the throat. 2) use the throat muscles as if doing this, especially through fear or nervousness. 3) (often swallow up) take in and cause to disappear; engulf. 4) believe (an… …   English terms dictionary

  • swallow — swallow1 [swä′lō] n. [ME swalwe < OE swealwe, akin to Ger schwalbe, ON svala, swallow, & prob. Russ solovyej, Czech slavík, nightingale] 1. any of a family (Hirundinidae) of small, swift flying, insect eating passerine birds with long, pointed …   English World dictionary

  • Swallow — Swal low, n. 1. The act of swallowing. [1913 Webster] 2. The gullet, or esophagus; the throat. [1913 Webster] 3. Taste; relish; inclination; liking. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] I have no swallow for it. Massinger. [1913 Webster] 4. Capacity for… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Swallow — Студийный альбом Heavenwood Дата выпуска 1998 Жанр Gothic Doom Metal Длительность 55:55 Страна …   Википедия

  • Swallow — Swal low, v. i. To perform the act of swallowing; as, his cold is so severe he is unable to swallow. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swallow — [v1] consume absorb, belt*, bolt*, chugalug*, devour, dispatch, dispose, down, drink, drop, eat, gobble, gulp, imbibe, ingest, ingurgitate, inhale, put away, quaff, sip, slurp, swig, swill, take, toss, wash down*, wolf; concept 169 Ant. expel,… …   New thesaurus

  • swallow — index consume, endure (suffer), tolerate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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