• Swale

    Pronunciation

    • Rhymes: -eɪl

    Origin 1

    Unknown, from Middle English, "shade", perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse svalr

    Full definition of swale

    Noun

    swale

    (plural swales)
    1. A low tract of moist or marshy land.
    2. A long narrow and shallow trough between ridges on a beach, running parallel to the coastline.
    3. A shallow troughlike depression that's created to carry water during rainstorms or snow melts; a drainage ditch.
    4. A shallow, usually grassy depression sloping downward from a plains upland meadow or level vegetated ridgetop.
      • Grey Riders|6Jane climbed a few more paces behind him and then peeped over the ridge. Just beyond began a shallow swale that deepened and widened into a valley, and then swung to the left.
    5. A shallow trough dug into the land on contour (horizontally with no slope). Its purpose being to allow water time to percolate into the soil.

    Origin 2

    See sweal.

    Noun

    swale

    (plural swales)
    1. (UK, dialect) A gutter in a candle.

    Verb

    1. Alternative form of sweal (melt and waste away, or singe)
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