sheathe

Meaning

1. To put (something such as a knife or sword) into a sheath.
2. To encase (something) with a protective covering.
3. Of an animal: to draw back or retract (a body part) into the body, such as claws into a paw.
4. To thrust (a sharp object like a sword, a claw, or a tusk) into something.
5. (obsolete) To abandon or cease (animosity, etc.)
6. (obsolete) To provide (a sword, etc.) with a sheath.
7. (obsolete) To relieve the harsh or painful effect of (a drug, a poison, etc.).

Synonyms

enclose

encapsulate

encase

cover

insert

envelop

set

sheath

curtain

dig

dip

douse

drape

draw in

dress

👗

enshroud

enter

enwrap

flash

gore

imbed

immerse

inject

input

introduce

jam

mantle

mask

😷

plunge

press

prick

protrude

pull back

put away

put in

ram

🐏

recess

retract

robe

scabbard

shoulder

sink

souse

spear

stab

stick

sting

stow

stuff

submerge

submerse

swaddle

thrust

tuck

twinge

veil

vesture

advertise

wrap

announce

attire

bathe

bite

cloak

conceal

countersink

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ʃiːð/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: shethen

Inherited from Old English: *scēaþian

Inherited from Middle English: sheth

Inherited from Old English: sċēaþ

In summary

From Late Middle English shethen (“to put (a sword or knife) into a sheath, sheathe; to provide with a sheath; (figuratively) to have sexual intercourse”) [and other forms], then:
* probably from Old English *scēaþian; or
* possibly from Middle English sheth, shethe (“holder for a sword, knife, etc., scabbard, sheath”) [and other forms] + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). Sheth(e) is derived from Old English sċēaþ (“sheath”), from Proto-West Germanic *skaiþiju, from Proto-Germanic *skaiþiz (“sheath; covering”), from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to dissect, split”) (possibly from the notion of a split stick with a sword inserted).