noun
swab
swob
noun
1
A small pad of absorbent material, often on a stick, used to clean a wound, apply medicine, or collect a sample.
"The nurse used a cotton swab to clean the cut before bandaging it."
"They took a throat swab to test for the infection."
2
A mop, especially one used to clean the deck of a ship.
"The sailors pushed swabs across the deck at dawn."
verb
1
To clean or wipe something using a swab.
"She swabbed the wound with antiseptic before dressing it."
How to Use Swab
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a small stick with an absorbent tip for cleaning or sampling, or a mop — and, as a verb, to clean with either.
Common pairings
swab a wound
cotton swab
nasal swab
swab the deck
Word Forms
swabbed past tense, swabs plural, Swabs plural, swabs singular
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The nurse used a cotton _____ to clean the cut before bandaging it.
Etymology
From Middle Dutch zwabber ("mop"), originally referring to a sailor whose job was mopping the deck.