swab

Meaning

Noun

1. A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.
2. A sample taken with a swab (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. (slang) A sailor; a swabby.
6. (slang) A naval officer's epaulet.

Verb

To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.

Synonyms

mop

swob

wipe

sailor

wash

🧽

scrub

dab

pad

padding

pass over

plaster

rag

rake

rub

rub off

seaman

skim

smear

sponge

🧽

sweep

wad

whisk

whistle

cotton ball

cotton bud

swing out

dab off

pumping action

hand broom

dab away

absorbent cotton

Unguentum

clean

clout

gauze

gob

graze

mop up

Pronounced as (IPA)

/swɒb/

Etymology

Mid 17th century (in the sense 'mop for cleaning the decks'): back-formation from Middle English swabber (“sailor detailed to swab decks”), from Middle Dutch zwabber, from a Germanic base meaning 'splash' or 'sway', also found as nautical German Schwabber and Volga German Schwabber ("scrubber, mop, swab")