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sword

n.
US //ˈsɔɹd// UK //sˈɔːd// sword
  1. 1 the weapon (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a weapon with a long, sharp metal blade and a handle, used for cutting or stabbing.

    a weapon consisting of a long metal blade fixed into a hilt, used for striking or thrusting.

    Example

    The knight drew his sword from its cover and prepared for the fight.

    Example

    The museum's collection includes a ceremonial sword with an ivory hilt and a blade forged from high-carbon steel.
  2. 2 military force (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    the use of force or war to achieve something.

    the use of military power or violence as a means of coercion or destruction.

    Example

    The king decided to settle the argument by the sword.

    Example

    The historian argued that the empire was won by the sword but maintained through sophisticated bureaucracy and trade.
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  1. 3 playing cards (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    one of the four groups of cards in certain decks, often used for telling the future.

    a suit in specific playing card decks, such as the Spanish or Italian decks, or in tarot cards used for divination.

    Example

    She turned over the three of swords during the card reading.

    Example

    In traditional tarot iconography, the suit of swords is frequently associated with the element of air and the challenges of the intellect.
Origin

Inherited from West Midland Middle English sword (swerd in most dialects), from Old English sweord (“sword”), from Proto-West Germanic swerd (“sword”), from Proto-Germanic swerdą (“sword”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂w- (“sharp”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian Swērt, Swiirt, swörd (“sword”), Saterland Frisian Swid, Swäid (“sword”), West Frisian swurd (“sword”), Dutch zwaard (“sword”), German Schwert (“sword”), Luxembourgish Schwäert (“sword”), Vilamovian świert (“sword”), Yiddish שווערד (shverd, “sword”), Danish sværd (“sword”), Faroese svørð (“sword”), Icelandic sverð (“sword”), Norn svird (“small longish object”), Norwegian Bokmål sverd (“sword”), Norwegian Nynorsk sverd, svørd (“sword”), Swedish svärd (“sword”); also Belarusian све́рдзел (svjérdzjel, “drill, drill bit”), Bulgarian свре́дел (svrédel, “drill, drill bit”), Czech svider (“drill bit”), Polish świder (“drill”), Russian сверло́ (sverló, “auger, bore, drill, drill bit”), Serbo-Croatian свр̏дло, svȑdlo (“auger”), Slovene sveder (“drill”), Ukrainian све́рдел (svérdel), све́рдло (svérdlo, “drill bit”).

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