What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Swap vs Swab - What's the difference?

swap | swab |

As nouns the difference between swap and swab

is that swap is an exchange of two comparable things while swab is a small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.

As verbs the difference between swap and swab

is that swap is to exchange or give (something) in an exchange (for something else) while swab is to use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.

swap

English

(wikipedia swap)

Alternative forms

* swop

Noun

(en noun)
  • An exchange of two comparable things.
  • (Sir Walter Scott)
  • (finance) A financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of cashflow against another stream.
  • (obsolete, UK, dialect) A blow; a stroke.
  • (computing, informal, uncountable) Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory.
  • How much swap do you need?

    Derived terms

    * credit default swap * swap meet * total return swap * swapsies

    Synonyms

    * barter * trade * quid pro quo

    Verb

    (swapp)
  • To exchange or give (something) in an exchange (for something else).
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • (label) To strike, hit.
  • *:
  • *:And soo sir launcelot rode on the one syde and she on the other / he had not ryden but a whyle / but the knyghte badde sir Launcelot torne hym and loke behynde hym // and there wyth was the knyghte and the lady on one syde / & sodenly he swapped of his ladyes hede
  • (label) To fall or descend; to rush hastily or violently.
  • :
  • *(Geoffrey Chaucer) (c.1343-1400)
  • *:All suddenly she swapt adown to ground.
  • (label) To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.
  • Derived terms

    * swap in, swap out

    Synonyms

    * (exchange) exchange, trade, switch

    Anagrams

    * * * * ----

    swab

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (medicine) a small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.
  • A sample taken with a swab (1).
  • A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.
  • A mop, especially on a ship.
  • (slang) A sailor; a swabby.
  • Synonyms

    * (sailor) swabby

    Verb

    (swabb)
  • To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.
  • * , chapter=6
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=He had one hand on the bounce bottle—and he'd never let go of that since he got back to the table—but he had a handkerchief in the other and was swabbing his deadlights with it.}}