What does "swab" mean?
Swab: A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels, etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.
Additional senses
- 2.A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle, for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying medicaments to deep- seated parts, etc.
- 3.(Naut.) An epaulet. [Sailor's Slang] Marryat.
- 4.A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease. [Obs.] Bailey.
- 5.A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00