Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   sweat

   /swɛt/

   noun

   • 1. moisture exuded through the pores of the skin, typically in profuse quantities as a reaction to heat, physical exertion, fever, or fear: "beads of sweat broke out on her brow" Similar perspirationmoisturedampnesswetnesslathersweatinginformal:muck sweattechnical:sudordiaphoresishidrosis
   • ▪ an instance or period of being covered with sweat: "even thinking about him made me break out in a sweat"
   • ▪ a state of flustered anxiety or distress: informal "I don't believe he'd get into such a sweat about a girl" Similar flusterflutterfretfusspanicfrenzyfeverpotherstate of anxietystate of agitationstate of nervousnessnervous statestate of worryinformal:stateflaptizzytiz-wozditherstewlathertwittertwit
   • ▪ hard work; effort: informal "computer graphics take a lot of the sweat out of animation" Similar labourhard worktoil(s)effort(s)exertion(s)industryindustriousnessdrudgeryslogthe sweat of one's browback-breaking tasklabour of Herculesinformal:graftgrindelbow grease
   • ▪ a laborious task or undertaking: informal "helping to run the meeting was a bit of a sweat"
   • 2. another term for sweatsuit or sweatpants informal North American
   • ▪ denoting loose casual garments made of thick, fleecy cotton: "sweat tops and bottoms"

   verb

   • 1. exude sweat: "he was sweating profusely" Similar perspireswelterexude perspirationdrip with perspiration/sweatbe pouring with sweatbreak out in a sweatglowbe dampbe wetsecreteinformal:be in a muck sweatsweat bucketssweat like a pigrare:sudate
   • ▪ get rid of something from the body by exuding sweat: "a well-hydrated body sweats out waste products more efficiently"
   • ▪ cause (a person or animal) to exude sweat by exercise or exertion: "cold as it was, the climb had sweated him"
   • ▪ (of food or an object) ooze or exude beads of moisture on to its surface: "cheese stored at room temperature will quickly begin to sweat"
   • ▪ (of a person) exert a great deal of strenuous effort: "I've sweated over this for six months" Similar work hardworkwork like a Trojanlabourtoilslogslavework one's fingers to the bonekeep one's nose to the grindstoneinformal:grindgraftplug awayput one's back into somethingarchaic:drudge
   • ▪ (of a person) be or remain in a state of extreme anxiety, typically for a prolonged period: "if we let them sweat for a week, they'll be a lot more cooperative"
   • ▪ worry about (something): informal North American "he's not going to have a lot of time to sweat the details" Similar worryagonizefusspanicfretditherlose sleepbe on tenterhooksbe in a state of anxietybe in a state of agitationbe in a state of nervousnessinformal:be on pins and needlesbe in a statebe in a flapbe in a tiz-wozbe in a stewbe in a latherbite one's nailstorture oneselftorment oneself
   • 2. heat (chopped vegetables) slowly in a pan with a small amount of fat, so that they cook in their own juices: "sweat the celery and onions with olive oil and seasoning"
   • ▪ (of chopped vegetables) be cooked slowly in a pan with a small amount of fat: "let the chopped onion sweat gently for five minutes"
   • 3. subject (metal) to surface melting, especially to fasten or join by solder without a soldering iron: "the tyre is sweated on to the wooden parts"

   Word Origin Old Englishswāt (noun), swǣtan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zweet and German Schweiss, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sudor.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • S

     1

   • W

     4

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points