Meaning of "sword" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SWORD

Old English sweord; related to Old Saxon swerd, Old Norse sverth, Old High German swert.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF SWORD

sword  [sɔːd]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SWORD

Sword is a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES SWORD MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Sword

A sword is a weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration. A sword in the most narrow sense consists of a straight blade with two edges and a hilt. However, in nearly every case, the term may also be used to refer to weapons with a single edge. The word sword comes from the Old English sweord, cognate to swert, Old Norse sverð, from a Proto-Indo-European root *swer- "to wound, to cut". Non-European weapons called "sword" include single-edged weapons such as the Middle Eastern saif, the Chinese dao and the related Japanese katana. The Chinese jian is an example of a non-European double-edged sword, like the European models derived from the double-edged Iron Age sword. Historically, the sword developed in the Bronze Age, evolving from the dagger; the earliest specimens date to ca. 1600 BC. The Iron Age sword remained fairly short and without a crossguard.

Definition of sword in the English dictionary

The first definition of sword in the dictionary is a thrusting, striking, or cutting weapon with a long blade having one or two cutting edges, a hilt, and usually a crosspiece or guard. Other definition of sword is such a weapon worn on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of authority. Sword is also something resembling a sword, such as the snout of a swordfish.

SYNONYMS OF «SWORD»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «sword» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of sword

blade · brand

TRANSLATION OF SWORD

Find out the translation of sword to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of sword from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «sword» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 剑
• Translator English - Spanish: espada
• English: sword
• Translator English - Hindi: तलवार
• Translator English - Arabic: سَيْف
• Translator English - Russian: меч
• Translator English - Portuguese: espada
• Translator English - Bengali: তরবারি
• Translator English - French: épée
• Translator English - Malay: Pedang
• Translator English - German: Schwert
• Translator English - Japanese: 剣
• Translator English - Korean: 검
• Translator English - Javanese: Pedhang
• Translator English - Vietnamese: thanh kiếm
• Translator English - Tamil: வாள்
• Translator English - Marathi: तलवार
• Translator English - Turkish: kılıç
• Translator English - Italian: spada
• Translator English - Polish: miecz
• Translator English - Ukrainian: меч
• Translator English - Romanian: sabie
• Translator English - Greek: σπαθί
• Translator English - Afrikaans: swaard
• Translator English - Swedish: svärd
• Translator English - Norwegian: sverd

10 QUOTES WITH «SWORD»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word sword.

1

Lynn Abbey

It's been a long time since I've written old-fashioned sword and sorcery; I'm hoping it's like riding a bicycle.

2

Scott Adkins

My weapon of choice is the nunchuck. I do like the bo as well, which I use, the staff. I'm not so good with the sword, but I picked a lot of stuff up on 'Ninja 1' with the sword.

3

Akhenaton

Indulge not thyself in the passion of anger; it is whetting a sword to wound thine own breast, or murder thy friend.

4

Lloyd Alexander

King Arthur was one of my heroes - I played with a trash can lid for a knightly shield and my uncle's cane for the sword Excalibur.

5

Sholem Asch

The sword conquered for a while, but the spirit conquers for ever!

6

Linden Ashby

Why are people always shooting zombies? Why not just chop their heads off? How can zombies get you if you have a good sword?

7

Neal Asher

Moorcock's interlinked 'Eternal Champion' series is a constant source of enjoyment. Of its tragic hero incarnations, my favourite is 'Elric of Melnibone,' and the best book has to be 'Stormbringer.' And as for that other sword, Excalibur? Pah! Use it to spread your butter.

8

Kevin Bacon

Fame is very much a double-edged sword.

9

Ben Barnes

Sword fighting is just as fun as it looks on the screen.

10

Stephen Bayley

In an age robbed of religious symbols, going to the shops replaces going to the church. We have a free choice, but at a price. We can win experience, but never achieve innocence. Marx knew that the epic activities of the modern world involve not lance and sword but dry goods.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SWORD»

Discover the use of sword in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to sword and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

The Book and The Sword: A Martial Arts Novel

This novel deals with the legend that the great 18th century Manchu Emperor Qianlong was in fact not a Manchu but a Han Chinese descended, as a result of a baby swap, from the Chens of Haining in Southern China.

Yong Jin, Rachel May, John Minford, 2004

In The Shadow Of The Sword: The Battle for Global Empire and ...

Ruling in their place were the Arabs: an upheaval so profound that it spelt, in effect, the end of the ancient world. In The Shadow of the Sword, Tom Holland explores how this came about.

Tom Holland, 2012

Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews

Examines the two-thousand-year relationship between Christianity and Judaism, examining the long entrenched tradition of anti-Semitism that culminated in the Church's failure to protest the Holocaust during World War II.

James Carroll, 2002

Plough, Sword, and Book: The Structure of Human History

Elucidates and argues for the author's concept of human history from the past to the present

Ernest Gellner, 1992

The Encyclopedia of the Sword

Yet, until the publication of this encyclopedia there has never been a comprehensive volume on the subject of the sword.

Nick Evangelista, 1995

The Craft of the Japanese Sword

From raw steel to tempered blade, this text presents a visual account of the ancient craft of swordmaking as practiced in modern Japan.

Leon Kapp, 1987

Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway

Told from the Japanese perspective, using largely Japanese sources, this volume represents the first substantive contribution to the West's understanding of Midway in more than a generation.

Jonathan B. Parshall, Anthony P. Tully, 2005

The Samurai Sword: A Handbook

Explores the origins and development of the famous samurai sword as a work of art and a weapon and discusses its identification, evaluation, and care

John M. Yumoto, 1958

The Blue Sword

This is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became Harimad- sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman had wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle.

Robin McKinley, 2007

The Chrysanthemum and the Sword

The Chrysanthemum and the Sword is a revealing look at how and why our cultures differ, making it the perfect introduction to Japanese history and customs.

Ruth Benedict, 2006

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SWORD»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term sword is used in the context of the following news items.

'Sword in the Stone' Live-Action Remake in Development With …

Continuing their strategy of reimagining animated classics into live-action movies, Disney is developing a “Sword in the Stone” movie with “Game of Thrones” ... «Variety, Jul 15»

Not so knightly: Man tries to steal sword at Renaissance festival …

A man crashed the Colorado Renaissance Festival in Larkspur and attempted to steal a sword, but a medieval wench came to the rescue and prevented him ... «The Denver Channel, Jul 15»

Arrow: “This Is Your Sword”

Wasting the solid work done by “Al Sah-him” to convince viewers Ollie wasn't home anymore, “This Is Your Sword” quickly reestablishes its protagonist's heroic ... «A.V. Club Milwaukee, May 15»

Husband, Wife Wounded With Sword In Hookah Lounge Stabbing

WEST HARTFORD — A husband and wife were seriously injured when they were stabbed with a sword early Wednesday at a hookah lounge on Park Road, ... «Hartford Courant, Apr 15»

Polish Prince Challenges a British Politician to a Sword Fight

Police prince Yanek Zylinski posted a video to YouTube over the weekend challenging U.K. politician Nigel Farage to a sword fight in London's Hyde Park. «People Magazine, Apr 15»

Ed Sheeran Receives a 'Game of Thrones' Sword and Freaks Out …

The British singer/songwriter acted like a kid on Christmas morning after he was gifted with a Game of Thrones sword during an appearance on The Hits ... «Billboard, Apr 15»

Suspect in sword attack, officer-involved shooting identified

Kimbrell was instructed several times to put the sword down but failed to comply. When Deputy Matt Ray approached Kimbrell, Kimbrell struck him with the ... «Pensacola News Journal, Apr 15»

Father, 52, arrested for carrying sword inside his cane to visit inmate …

Jose Gonzalez, 52, was arrested March 2, 2014, when he tried to smuggle a sword cane in Bexar County Jail to visit his son, currently an inmate at the jail. «mySanAntonio.com, Mar 15»

MSU's Craig Sword 'can't get over' loss to Ole Miss

Sword's rally came after the Rebels opened their second-half lead to eight points. Trivante Bloodman stopped the bleeding with a bucket and a foul before ... «Jackson Clarion Ledger, Feb 15»

Prosecutors hold off on charging ex-Power Ranger in sword killing

Los Angeles County prosecutors are holding off on a decision to charge a former "Power Rangers" actor in the fatal stabbing of his roommate with a sword, ... «Los Angeles Times, Feb 15»