Swal·low v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swallowed p. pr. & vb. n. Swallowing.]
 1. To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet, or esophagus, into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink.
    As if I had swallowed snowballs for pills.   --Shak.
 2. To draw into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; to absorb -- usually followed by up.
    The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses.   --Num. xvi. 32.
 3. To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly.
    Though that story . . . be not so readily swallowed.   --Sir T. Browne.
 4. To engross; to appropriate; -- usually with up.
    Homer excels . . . in this, that he swallowed up the honor of those who succeeded him.   --Pope.
 5. To occupy; to take up; to employ.
    The necessary provision of the life swallows the greatest part of their time.   --Locke.
 6. To seize and waste; to exhaust; to consume.
 Corruption swallowed what the liberal hand
 Of bounty scattered.   --Thomson.
 7. To retract; to recant; as, to swallow one's opinions. “Swallowed his vows whole.”
 8. To put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation; as, to swallow an affront or insult.
 Syn: -- To absorb; imbibe; ingulf; engross; consume. See Absorb.
 swallowed
      adj : completely enclosed or swallowed up; "a house engulfed in
            flames"; "the fog-enveloped cliffs"; "a view swallowed
            by night" [syn: engulfed, enveloped]