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]