Swab

swab
    n 1: implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is
         used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a
         specimen of a secretion
    2: cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened
       to a handle; for cleaning floors [syn: {swab}, {swob}, {mop}]
    v 1: wash with a swab or a mop; "swab the ship's decks" [syn:
         {swab}, {swob}]
    2: apply (usually a liquid) to a surface; "dab the wall with
       paint" [syn: {dab}, {swab}, {swob}]
    

Swab \Swab\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Swabbed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Swabbing}.] [See {Swabber}, n.]
   To clean with a mop or swab; to wipe when very wet, as after
   washing; as, to swab the desk of a ship. [Spelt also {swob}.]
   [1913 Webster]
    

Swab \Swab\, n. [Written also swob.]
   1. A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels,
      etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle,
      for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying
      medicaments to deep-seated parts, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Naut.) An epaulet. [Sailor's Slang] --Marryat.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease. [Obs.] --Bailey.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long
      rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.
      [1913 Webster]
    

swab
 /swob/

   [From the mnemonic for the {PDP-11} `SWAp Byte' instruction, as
   immortalized in the dd(1) option conv=swab (see {dd})]

   1. vt. To solve the {NUXI problem} by swapping bytes in a file

   2. n. The program in V7 Unix used to perform this action, or anything
   functionally equivalent to it. See also {big-endian}, {little-endian},
   {middle-endian}, {bytesexual}.
    

swab

   /swob/ The {PDP-11} swap byte instruction mnemonic, as
   immortalised in the {dd} option "conv=swab".

   1. To solve the {NUXI problem} by swapping bytes in a file.

   2.  The program in V7 Unix used to perform this action, or
   anything functionally equivalent to it.

   See also {big-endian}, {little-endian}, {middle-endian},
   {bytesexual}.

   [{Jargon File}]
    

65 Moby Thesaurus words for "swab":
      air-dry, anhydrate, bake, baptize, bath, bathe, blot, brush, burn,
      cure, dehumidify, dehydrate, desiccate, douche, drain, dry,
      evaporate, exsiccate, fire, flush, flush out, gargle, holystone,
      insolate, irrigate, kiln, lather, launder, lave, mop, mop up,
      mummify, parch, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, rub, scorch,
      scour, scrub, scrub up, sear, shampoo, shower, shrivel, sluice,
      sluice out, smoke, soak up, soap, sponge, sun, sun-dry, syringe,
      toivel, torrefy, towel, tub, wash, wash out, wash up, weazen, wipe,
      wither, wizen