sword

sword — noun

1. An edged weapon for fighting, built around a long sharpened metal strip fitted w

1.nounA2
Definition

An edged weapon for fighting, built around a long sharpened metal strip fitted with a handle that protects the hand.

Example

Christopher pulled the sword from the stone after years of trying.

folkloric/literary context: sword in the stone

The museum displayed a 16th-century sword once owned by a Japanese samurai.

historical display in museum

Common collocations
  • draw a sword
  • pull a sword
  • wield a sword
  • sharp sword
  • ceremonial sword
  • practice sword
  • sword fight
  • sword in hand
Synonyms
  • blade

    poetic or informal; can also refer to the cutting part of a knife

  • saber

    a curved sword used by cavalry; also the fencing weapon in modern sport

  • cutlass

    a short, heavy curved sword used by sailors and pirates

  • rapier

    a thin, light, sharp-pointed sword used for thrusting, common in duels

Grammar Patterns

a [adjective] sword

draw/pull/wield a sword

Usage Note

Always takes a determiner (a, the, my, this, etc.) when referring to a specific weapon. The word is also used metaphorically in several common idioms (see idioms below).

Common Mistakes

He cut the rope with sword.
He cut the rope with a sword.
countable nouns need a determiner in singular form.
He sworded the enemy.
He attacked the enemy with a sword.
sword is a noun, not a verb in standard English.
Idioms

double-edged sword

idiom

a situation, decision, or quality that has both positive and negative effects at the same time

Social media is a double-edged sword — it helps you connect with people but also spreads false information quickly.

Being very talented at work can be a double-edged sword if it makes others expect too much from you.

cross swords (with)

idiom

to argue, disagree, or compete with someone in a lively or forceful way

The two politicians crossed swords during the debate over tax reform.

Ilan crossed swords with his boss about the direction of the marketing campaign.

the pen is mightier than the sword

idiom

used to say that writing and ideas have a greater influence on people and history than military force or violence

The journalist believed that the pen is mightier than the sword, so she kept writing about injustice.

History shows that the pen is mightier than the sword — books change minds long after battles are forgotten.

put to the sword

idiom

to kill someone with a sword, especially in a historical or violent context of war or conquest

After the castle fell, the invaders put all the soldiers to the sword.

According to the ancient chronicle, the king ordered the rebels to be put to the sword.

sword of Damocles

idiom

an immediate and ever-present danger or threat that makes someone feel anxious or fearful

The threat of layoffs hung over the office like a sword of Damocles for months.

For Trang, the upcoming exam felt like a sword of Damocles — she could not relax until it was over.

be a double-edged/two-edged sword/weapon

idiom

This describes something that has both good and bad effects.

Social media can be a double-edged sword for teenagers.

Is being very talented a double-edged sword in your career?

cross swords (with somebody)

idiom

This means to have a fight or an argument with someone.

The two lawyers crossed swords during the trial.

Have you ever crossed swords with your boss over a project?

put somebody to the sword

idiom

This means to kill someone with a sword, often in a battle.

The invaders put all the villagers to the sword.

In the legend, the king put his enemies to the sword.

a/the sword of Damocles

idiom

This refers to a danger or problem that could happen at any time and causes worry.

The threat of layoffs hung like a sword of Damocles over the office.

For the athlete, the injury was a sword of Damocles before the big game.

turn swords into ploughshares

idiom

This means to stop using weapons and start peaceful activities instead.

After the war, the country turned swords into ploughshares.

The peace treaty encouraged both sides to turn swords into ploughshares.

Word family

  • swordsman
    nounC1
  • swordsmanship
    nounC2
  • swordplay
    nounC2
  • swordfish
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words refer to types of cutting weapons, they differ in shape and cultural context. Blade is the most general and can refer to the cutting part of any knife or sword — it is also used poetically to mean 'sword' itself ('I felt the cold blade at my throat'). Saber (US) or sabre (UK) refers specifically to a curved, single-edged sword used by cavalry or in modern fencing sport; it implies a slashing motion. Cutlass is a short, heavy curved sword historically used by sailors and pirates — it suggests a rougher, close-quarters context. Rapier is a thin, light, sharply pointed sword designed for thrusting rather than cutting, famously used in European dueling and fencing. When choosing among them: use blade for a general or literary reference, saber for military cavalry or Olympic fencing, cutlass for pirate imagery, and rapier for elegant dueling contexts. Example: 'The museum had both a cavalry saber from the 1800s and a rapier used in a famous duel.'

blade ↗sabercutlassrapier

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sword fight
  • sword blade
  • sword handle
  • sword belt

Phrases

Prepositions

  • with a sword
  • by the sword

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word sword comes from Old English sweord, which traces back to Proto-Germanic *swerdan. This Germanic root may be related to the word for 'to wound' or 'to cut', and possibly connected to the idea of metal that 'sweats' during forging. The word is found in many ancient Germanic languages, including Old Norse sverð and Gothic swairþa, confirming its deep roots in the weapon culture of early Germanic peoples. The word has stayed remarkably stable in form and meaning for over a thousand years.