Swallow’

a 1 cause or allow (food etc.) to pass down the throat. 2 perform the muscular movement required to do this. 3 accept meekly or credulously. 4 repress (a feeling etc.) (swallow one’s pride). 5 articulate (words etc.) indistinctly. 6 (often foil. by up) engulf or absorb; exhaust. n. 1 act of swallowing. 2 amount swallowed. [Old English]