sword /sɔːd $ sɔːrd/ noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: sweord]

1. a weapon with a long pointed blade and a handle

2. a/the sword of Damocles literary a bad thing that might happen at any time:
The treaty hung like a sword of Damocles over French politics.

3. put somebody to the sword literary to kill someone with a sword

4. turn/beat swords into ploughshares literary to start using money, equipment, and skills for peaceful purposes rather than for fighting
⇒ cross swords (with somebody) at cross¹(16), ⇒ double-edged sword at double-edged(1)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

sword
noun
ADJ. long, short | double-edged, two-edged (both figurative) The potential financial boost is a double-edged sword (= has advantages and disadvantages).
ceremonial, dress | Samurai
VERB + SWORD be armed with, carry, wear | draw, unsheathe | brandish, wield | thrust I thrust my sword into his chest.
sheathe
SWORD + NOUN arm | belt | blade | stroke

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

sword
sɔ:d
See: at swords' points , put to the sword

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲