Sword

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sword \Sword\ (s[=o]rd), n. [OE. swerd, AS. sweord; akin to
     OFries. swerd, swird, D. zwaard, OS. swerd, OHG. swert, G.
     schwert, Icel. sver[eth], Sw. sv[aum]rd, Dan. svaerd; of
     uncertain origin.]
     1. An offensive weapon, having a long and usually
        sharp-pointed blade with a cutting edge or edges. It is


        the general term, including the small sword, rapier,
        saber, scimiter, and many other varieties.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence, the emblem of judicial vengeance or punishment, or
        of authority and power.
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              He [the ruler] beareth not the sword in vain. --Rom.
                                                    xiii. 4.
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              She quits the balance, and resigns the sword.
                                                    --Dryden.
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     3. Destruction by the sword, or in battle; war; dissension.
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              I came not to send peace, but a sword. --Matt. x.
                                                    34.
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     4. The military power of a country.
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              He hath no more authority over the sword than over
              the law.                              --Milton.
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     5. (Weaving) One of the end bars by which the lay of a hand
        loom is suspended.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Sword arm}, the right arm.
  
     {Sword bayonet}, a bayonet shaped somewhat like a sword, and
        which can be used as a sword.
  
     {Sword bearer}, one who carries his master's sword; an
        officer in London who carries a sword before the lord
        mayor when he goes abroad.
  
     {Sword belt}, a belt by which a sword is suspended, and borne
        at the side.
  
     {Sword blade}, the blade, or cutting part, of a sword.
  
     {Sword cane}, a cane which conceals the blade of a sword or
        dagger, as in a sheath.
  
     {Sword dance}.
        (a) A dance in which swords are brandished and clashed
            together by the male dancers. --Sir W. Scott.
        (b) A dance performed over swords laid on the ground, but
            without touching them.
  
     {Sword fight}, fencing; a combat or trial of skill with
        swords; swordplay.
  
     {Sword grass}. (Bot.) See {Gladen}.
  
     {Sword knot}, a ribbon tied to the hilt of a sword.
  
     {Sword law}, government by the sword, or by force; violence.
        --Milton.
  
     {Sword lily}. (Bot.) See {Gladiolus}.
  
     {Sword mat} (Naut.), a mat closely woven of yarns; -- so
        called from a wooden implement used in its manufacture.
  
     {Sword shrimp} (Zool.), a European shrimp ({Pasiphaea
        sivado}) having a very thin, compressed body.
  
     {Sword stick}, a sword cane.
  
     {To measure swords with one}. See under {Measure}, v. t.
  
     {To put to the sword}. See under {Put}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sword
       n : a cutting or thrusting weapon with a long blade [syn: {blade},
            {brand}, {steel}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  84 Moby Thesaurus words for "sword":
     Excalibur, ax, battler, belligerent, belted knight, bickerer,
     bilbo, blade, bravo, brawler, broadsword, bully, bullyboy,
     claymore, cold steel, combatant, competitor, contender, contestant,
     cutlass, cutlery, cutter, dagger, disputant, duelist, edge tools,
     enforcer, epee, falchion, fencer, feuder, fighter, fighting cock,
     foil, foilsman, gamecock, gladiator, glaive, goon, gorilla,
     hatchet man, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, jouster, knife, knight,
     militant, naked steel, pigsticker, plug-ugly, point, puncturer,
     quarreler, rapier, rioter, rival, rough, rowdy, ruffian, saber,
     sabreur, scimitar, scrapper, scuffler, sharpener, squabbler, steel,
     strong arm, strong-arm man, strong-armer, struggler, swashbuckler,
     swordplayer, swordsman, thug, tilter, toad sticker, tough,
     trusty sword, tuck, tussler, whittle, wrangler
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Sword
     of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a
     sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1
     Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
     
       It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12;
     78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov.
     12:18). The word of God is likened also to a sword (Heb. 4:12;
     Eph. 6:17; Rev. 1:16). Gideon's watchword was, "The sword of the
     Lord" (Judg. 7:20).