swab

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A small piece of absorbent material attached to the end of a stick or wire and used for cleansing or applying medicine.
2. n. A specimen of mucus or other material removed with a swab.
3. n. A sponge or patch of absorbent material used to clean the bore of a firearm or cannon.
4. n. A mop used for cleaning floors or decks.
5. n. Slang A sailor.
6. n. Slang A lout.
7. v. To use a swab on.
8. v. To clean with a swab.
9. v. To take a specimen from (a person) using a swab.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To clean with water and a swab, especially the decks of ships.
2. n. A utensil for cleaning. A large mop used on shipboard for cleaning decks, etc.
3. n. The epaulet of a naval officer.
4. n. A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like fastened to a handle, for cleansing the mouth of the sick, or for giving them nourishment. Compare probang.
5. n. In founding, a small tapering tuft of hemp, charged with water, for touching up the edges of molds.
6. n. An awkward, clumsy fellow.
7. Same as swap.
8. n. Same as swad.
9. n. An abbreviation of Swabia or Swabian.

Wiktionary

1. n. 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.
2. n. A sample taken with a swab (1).
3. n. A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.
4. n. A mop, especially on a ship.
5. n. slang A sailor; see swabby.
6. v. transitive To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To clean with a mop or swab; to wipe when very wet, as after washing.
2. n. A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels, etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.
3. n. A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle, for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying medicaments to deep-seated parts, etc.
4. n. (Naut.), Sailor's Slang An epaulet.
5. n. obsolete A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease.
6. n. A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a specimen of a secretion
2. v. apply (usually a liquid) to a surface
3. v. wash with a swab or a mop
4. n. cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floors