See Also: swath(dictionary)
swath-band(dictionary)

swath (iou)



swath noun1. .

Track, trace. OE-ME.
a. A measure of the width of a strip of grassland, perh. orig. reckoned by the breadth of one sweep of the mower's scythe. local. ME.
b. The space covered by a sweep of the scythe; the width of grass or corn so cut. ME.
c. A stroke of the scythe in reaping. rare. M17.
a. A row or line of grass, corn, etc., as it falls or lies when mown or reaped; collect. a crop mown and lying on the ground. ME.
b. Growing grass or corn ready for mowing or reaping. L16.
transf. & fig.
a. A broad strip or long extent of something. E17.
Times Literary Supplement Owing the United States Government a swath of back-taxes.
b. A thing falling in a row or stream; esp. a line of troops mown down in battle. M19.
A. I. Shand The dead lying in swathes as they had fallen.
Phrases: cut a swath, cut a wide swath US slang make a pompous display, swagger; cut a dash.
Comb.: swath-board a slanting board attached to the cutter of a mowing-machine, designed to force the cut grass etc. into a narrower swath; swath-turner a machine used for turning over swaths of hay.
swather noun a device on the front of a mowing-machine for raising uncut fallen grain and marking the line between cut and uncut grain L19.