sweat

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. hard physical work or a lot of effort.

n. intense physical or mental effort; often used in the idiom 'blood, sweat, and tears'.

“It took a lot of sweat to get the old garden looking beautiful again.”

“The success of the startup was built on years of sweat and late nights in a cramped garage office.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Slang · Informal

n. someone who tries much too hard to win a game, especially a video game.

n. a player who exerts excessive effort or uses overly serious tactics in a casual gaming environment.

“I hate playing in this lobby because it is full of sweats who take it too seriously.”

“The community often complains that the matchmaking system pits casual players against absolute sweats, ruining the relaxed atmosphere of the game.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to have liquid come out of your skin because you are hot or nervous.

v. to excrete moisture through the pores of the skin; intransitive or used with 'out'.

“The spicy food made him sweat so much he had to take off his jacket.”

“Even in the air-conditioned room, the witness began to sweat under the prosecutor's relentless line of questioning.”

B1 · Intermediate Informal

v. to feel very nervous or worried about something.

v. to experience or manifest great anxiety or suspense; often used transitively in the negative.

“Don't sweat the small stuff; everything will be fine in the end.”

“The manager told the team not to sweat the minor delays as long as the final product was delivered by Friday.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Cooking Technical

v. to cook vegetables slowly in a little fat so they get soft but not brown.

v. to cook food, typically vegetables, over low heat in a small amount of fat to soften them and release their juices without browning.

“Sweat the onions for five minutes until they are clear and soft.”

“The recipe requires you to sweat the mirepoix gently to build a flavour base without introducing the bitterness of caramelisation.”

C1 · Advanced Science Technical

v. when small drops of water form on the outside of a cold object.

v. to collect or exude moisture on a surface through condensation.

“The cold glass of water started to sweat in the heat of the afternoon.”

“The copper pipes began to sweat as the humidity in the basement rose, leading to concerns about potential water damage.”