Noun

(en noun)

(lb) A layer of earth into which grass has grown; turf; sod.

* (1809-1892)

*:The sward was trim as any garden lawn.

(lb) An expanse of land covered in grass; a lawn or meadow.

*

*:It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.

*1890 , (Arthur Conan Doyle), ''(w) Company

*:.

*1918 , (Booth Tarkington), ''(w) Ambersons

*:Only where George stood was there left a sward as of yore; the great, level, green lawn that served for both the Major's house and his daughter's.

Skin; covering.

:(Halliwell)

Noun

(en noun)

The track cut out by a scythe in mowing.

(often, figuratively) A broad sweep or expanse.

Five days after Hurricane Katrina, large swaths of New Orleans, such as Canal Street seen here, are still submerged in water.

* {{quote-news, author=(Jesse Jackson), title=In the Ferguson era, Malcolm X’s courage in fighting racism inspires more than ever, work=(The Guardian) (London), date=20 February 2015 citation

, passage=It is undeniable that Malcolm was a beacon of huge strength in his lifetime. He could connect with swaths of people when others could not. }}