swab
noun
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Definition of swab
(Entry 1 of 2)
swab
verbDefinition of swab (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms for swab
Synonyms: Noun
gob, hearty, jack, jack-tar, mariner, navigator, sailor, salt, sea dog, seafarer, seaman, shipman, swabbie (also swabby) [slang], tar
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Examples of swab in a Sentence
Noun
Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect the area. The doctor took a throat swab and sent it to the lab.Verb
The nurse swabbed the cut with a disinfectant.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
At this meeting, Lee refused to thoroughly explain what the reason for the cheek swab test was, Anni Manukyan said. — Giulia Mcdonnell Nieto Del Rio, latimes.com, "Couple says their embryo was implanted into wrong woman. They had to fight to get their son," 11 July 2019 To do this, the instructions suggest pulling away most of the cotton on a swab, leaving just a wisp to act as a thin paintbrush. — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, "Cracked kitchen tiles? Try a patch.," 10 June 2019 When collecting a suspect’s DNA, law enforcement officers typically obtain a warrant from a judge before taking a blood sample or cheek swab. — Evan Sernoffsky, SFChronicle.com, "SF prosecutors fight bid to free ‘Rideshare Rapist’ suspect over shoddy police work," 12 July 2019 What started as a simple cheek swab with a Q-Tip became a long-distance trip this past March to meet family in Israel who survived the Holocaust. — Debbie Spingarn, BostonGlobe.com, "A familial journey to Israel, launched with a simple cheek swab," 13 June 2019 Before the plea deal was finalized, authorities used modern methods to retest evidence stored at a Richmond police locker, including various swabs from Vasquez’s autopsy, as well as her fingernail clippings and dentures. — Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, "Contra Costa DA’s number two resigns, says handling of murder cases ‘made me sick inside’," 2 July 2019 The scammers get a cheek swab with your DNA, and a photo of your driver’s license and Medicare card. — cleveland.com, "Senior scams on the rise as new cons emerge: Here’s how to protect yourself," 30 June 2019 In the film, bullet entry wounds are treated with a swab of iodine. — Chuck Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "What You Need To Know Before Watching "They Shall Not Grow Old"," 28 Dec. 2018 But the technology depends on people coming forward to give a DNA sample via a cheek swab, and so far, there are not nearly as many volunteers as authorities had hoped for. — Kathleen Ronayne, The Seattle Times, "‘We need hundreds’: Fire victims’ families urged to give DNA," 21 Nov. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
To see if the patient was carrying C. auris, the treating doctors in Maryland swabbed the patient's groin and armpits. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Got a horrifying foreign superbug? You may have more than one," 1 Aug. 2019 If your plants are inside, take a Q-tip and swab the pollen inside the male flower, then rub it around the female flower. — Ap Mcclatchy, The Mercury News, "How to grow your own fruits and vegetables — from food scraps," 10 July 2019 Dan remembers the brash, colorful mural the architect swabbed across two walls of the Nivola family living room. — Sarah Medford, WSJ, "Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky Dreamed of a Modern Home in a Pastoral Setting," 11 Dec. 2018 And in July, under a 2013 state law that allows DNA sampling of inmates, Nevada authorities swabbed the inside of Ewing's cheek and entered the results in the national database. — Katherine Lam, Fox News, "Nevada inmate linked to 1984 hammer killing cold cases in Colorado," 12 Aug. 2018 Like the pap, the HPV test involves swabbing cervical cells, so this isn’t a question of replacing one procedure with another, less invasive one. — Cari Romm, The Cut, "A New Study May Have Found a More Effective Alternative to Pap Smears," 3 July 2018 Police swabbed the driver's side handle of Joseph James DeAngelo's car, according to arrest and search warrants released Friday. — Nicole Chavez, CNN, "DNA that led to Golden State Killer suspect's arrest was collected from his car while he shopped," 2 June 2018 In 2013, the court ruled 5-4 that police can swab the cheek of someone arrested for a serious offense to obtain DNA — which then can be matched against databases of unsolved crimes. — Richard Wolf, USA TODAY, "From heroin in rental car trunk to stolen motorcycle, Supreme Court defends privacy rights," 1 June 2018 The judge granted the motion and state Inspector Gerald Kumnick swabbed Silva’s cheek in the courtroom lockup. — David Owens, courant.com, "Judge Orders Double Murder Suspect To Provide DNA Sample To Prosecution," 25 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swab.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for swab
swab
noun
English Language Learners Definition of swab
(Entry 1 of 2)
swab
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of swab (Entry 2 of 2)
See the full definition for swab in the English Language Learners Dictionary
swab
noun
\
Kids Definition of swab
(Entry 1 of 2)