Swab
noun
A small piece of soft material at the end of a thin stick, used for cleaning something or for putting medicine on a part of the body.
He took a throat swab to test for infection.
Often appears as...
- take a swab
- use a swab
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To clean something or apply medicine to it using a swab.
The nurse swabbed his wound with antiseptic.
Often appears as...
- swab the wound
- swab the deck
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A long handled mop used to clean the deck of a ship.
The sailor was assigned to swab the deck.
Often appears as...
- swab the deck
- hand me the swab
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
noun
A small piece of soft material at the end of a thin stick, used for cleaning something or for putting medicine on a part of the body.
He took a throat swab to test for infection.
Often appears as...
- take a swab
- use a swab
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To clean something or apply medicine to it using a swab.
The nurse swabbed his wound with antiseptic.
Often appears as...
- swab the wound
- swab the deck
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A long handled mop used to clean the deck of a ship.
The sailor was assigned to swab the deck.
Often appears as...
- swab the deck
- hand me the swab
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Context
Used primarily in medical settings to collect samples or apply treatments.
The doctor used a swab to collect cells for the lab test.
Pro Tip 2/3Not for Ears
Although commonly used, medical advice suggests not using swabs to clean ears.
Use a washcloth instead of a swab to clean your ears safely.
Pro Tip 3/3Disposable Item
Swabs are often disposable and should be discarded after one use to prevent contamination.
After cleaning the cut, she threw the swab away.
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Context
Used primarily in medical settings to collect samples or apply treatments.
The doctor used a swab to collect cells for the lab test.
Pro Tip 2/3Not for Ears
Although commonly used, medical advice suggests not using swabs to clean ears.
Use a washcloth instead of a swab to clean your ears safely.
Pro Tip 3/3Disposable Item
Swabs are often disposable and should be discarded after one use to prevent contamination.
After cleaning the cut, she threw the swab away.
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Context
Used primarily in medical settings to collect samples or apply treatments.
The doctor used a swab to collect cells for the lab test.
Pro Tip 2/3Not for Ears
Although commonly used, medical advice suggests not using swabs to clean ears.
Use a washcloth instead of a swab to clean your ears safely.
Pro Tip 3/3Disposable Item
Swabs are often disposable and should be discarded after one use to prevent contamination.
After cleaning the cut, she threw the swab away.
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Video examples
What happens when...
What's the future of the body, of beauty? If we change the body, will we have new kinds of awareness? And will new kinds of awareness of the microbial world change the way that we eat? The last chapter of my dissertation was all about cheese that I made using bacteria that I swabbed from in between my toes.
Video examples
Beyond Genealogy PIPE...
world to solve the riddle of who we are and how we are all related to each other. So far more than half a million people have participated, and you can too. Your Genographic kit explains it all and it also comes with a little brush called a swab. All you need to do is brush the inside your mouth.
Video examples
How bones make blood -...
Those patients turn to donor registries of volunteers willing to offer their bone marrow. All it takes to be on the registry is a cheek swab to test for a genetic match. And in many cases, the donation itself isn’t much more complicated than giving blood. It’s a way to save someone’s life
Video examples
The era of personal DNA...
Two weeks may be just enough time for infection to spread and take away your way of life. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today, farmers can take those samples themselves. They can jump right into the pen and swab their pigs' noses and mouths with a little filter paper,
Video examples
How we must respond to...
that you had to have a nurse or doctor shove a swab way up, all the way to the back of your throat, which hurts a lot, but also, you're going to cough and potentially spread the disease to that health care worker. So they have to have protective equipment and change that.
Video examples
Cat Clues PIPE National...
as the mouth swabs arrived lions will eliminate areas from the globe and hone in on the geographic site of feline domestication with a good sampling of cats from all over the world we'll have a very comprehensive study on cat
Video examples
Should you trust...
But the DNA evidence was so consistent precisely because it was wrong. It turned out that the cotton swabs used to collect the DNA samples had all been accidentally contaminated by a woman working in the swab factory.
Video examples
What happened when we...
So many elect to go through this hours-long rape kit process that requires every inch and orifice of a victim's body to be combed, swabbed and photographed.
Video examples
Toxic Waste in the...
on the riverbank on the outskirts of the city I met environmental campaigner Rakesh Jai swab
Video examples
The Unexplored Depths PIPE...
rocks just a possibility of what's hiding in there just covered in swabs juice
Video examples
What happens when...
What's the future of the body, of beauty? If we change the body, will we have new kinds of awareness? And will new kinds of awareness of the microbial world change the way that we eat? The last chapter of my dissertation was all about cheese that I made using bacteria that I swabbed from in between my toes.
Video examples
Beyond Genealogy PIPE...
world to solve the riddle of who we are and how we are all related to each other. So far more than half a million people have participated, and you can too. Your Genographic kit explains it all and it also comes with a little brush called a swab. All you need to do is brush the inside your mouth.
Video examples
How bones make blood -...
Those patients turn to donor registries of volunteers willing to offer their bone marrow. All it takes to be on the registry is a cheek swab to test for a genetic match. And in many cases, the donation itself isn’t much more complicated than giving blood. It’s a way to save someone’s life
Video examples
The era of personal DNA...
Two weeks may be just enough time for infection to spread and take away your way of life. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today, farmers can take those samples themselves. They can jump right into the pen and swab their pigs' noses and mouths with a little filter paper,
Video examples
How we must respond to...
that you had to have a nurse or doctor shove a swab way up, all the way to the back of your throat, which hurts a lot, but also, you're going to cough and potentially spread the disease to that health care worker. So they have to have protective equipment and change that.
Video examples
Cat Clues PIPE National...
as the mouth swabs arrived lions will eliminate areas from the globe and hone in on the geographic site of feline domestication with a good sampling of cats from all over the world we'll have a very comprehensive study on cat
Video examples
Should you trust...
But the DNA evidence was so consistent precisely because it was wrong. It turned out that the cotton swabs used to collect the DNA samples had all been accidentally contaminated by a woman working in the swab factory.
Video examples
What happened when we...
So many elect to go through this hours-long rape kit process that requires every inch and orifice of a victim's body to be combed, swabbed and photographed.
Video examples
Toxic Waste in the...
on the riverbank on the outskirts of the city I met environmental campaigner Rakesh Jai swab
Video examples
The Unexplored Depths PIPE...
rocks just a possibility of what's hiding in there just covered in swabs juice
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tom Hanks
American Actor
There's this misconception that the Navy is this cruise ship, and you get to go out and sail around, and every now and then, you have to swab the deck. But, no, it is a very impressive group of young people that live at sea, in this place that's very uncomfortable. They exude a pride that is well-deserved.
Quote examples
Richa Pallod
Indian Model
When you are cleaning, sweeping, swabbing floors and running around for the littlest of things on a shoot for an ad or a documentary, you realize how tough life is behind the camera.
Quote examples
Mandy Moore
American Musician
I'm a germ-phobe when I meet a lot of people or shake a lot of hands. I always have hand sanitizer and alcohol swabs so I can sort of go back and forth between the two.
Quote examples
Tom Hanks
American Actor
There's this misconception that the Navy is this cruise ship, and you get to go out and sail around, and every now and then, you have to swab the deck. But, no, it is a very impressive group of young people that live at sea, in this place that's very uncomfortable. They exude a pride that is well-deserved.
Quote examples
Richa Pallod
Indian Model
When you are cleaning, sweeping, swabbing floors and running around for the littlest of things on a shoot for an ad or a documentary, you realize how tough life is behind the camera.
Quote examples
Mandy Moore
American Musician
I'm a germ-phobe when I meet a lot of people or shake a lot of hands. I always have hand sanitizer and alcohol swabs so I can sort of go back and forth between the two.
Example 1 of 3
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