1. a small piece of soft material used for cleaning or applying medicine
2. a specimen collected with a cotton-tipped stick for medical testing
3. a sailor
Usage: nautical; informal

1. to clean or wipe with a swab or cloth

Examples

• The nurse used a swab to clean the wound.
• The doctor took a throat swab to test for strep.
• She swabbed the deck with a mop.
• Please swab the counter with disinfectant.
• The cotton swab was perfect for cleaning small spaces.
• The lab analyzed the DNA swab for evidence.
• He swabbed his ears gently with a cotton tip.