Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sword \Sword\, n. [OE. swerd, AS. sweord; akin to OFries. swerd,
   swird, D. zwaard, OS. swerd, OHG. swert, G. schwert, Icel.
   sver?, Sw. sv["a]rd, Dan. sv[ae]rd; of uncertain origin.]
   1. An offensive weapon, having a long and usually
      sharp?pointed blade with a cutting edge or edges. It is
      the general term, including the small sword, rapier,
      saber, scimiter, and many other varieties.

   2. Hence, the emblem of judicial vengeance or punishment, or
      of authority and power.

            He [the ruler] beareth not the sword in vain. --Rom.
                                                  xiii. 4.

            She quits the balance, and resigns the sword.
                                                  --Dryden.

   3. Destruction by the sword, or in battle; war; dissension.

            I came not to send peace, but a sword. --Matt. x.
                                                  34.

   4. The military power of a country.

            He hath no more authority over the sword than over
            the law.                              --Milton.

   5. (Weaving) One of the end bars by which the lay of a hand
      loom is suspended.

   {Sword arm}, the right arm.

   {Sword bayonet}, a bayonet shaped somewhat like a sword, and
      which can be used as a sword.

   {Sword bearer}, one who carries his master's sword; an
      officer in London who carries a sword before the lord
      mayor when he goes abroad.

   {Sword belt}, a belt by which a sword is suspended, and borne
      at the side.

   {Sword blade}, the blade, or cutting part, of a sword.

   {Sword cane}, a cane which conceals the blade of a sword or
      dagger, as in a sheath.

   {Sword dance}.
      (a) A dance in which swords are brandished and clashed
          together by the male dancers. --Sir W. Scott.
      (b) A dance performed over swords laid on the ground, but
          without touching them.

   {Sword fight}, fencing; a combat or trial of skill with
      swords; swordplay.

   {Sword grass}. (Bot.) See {Gladen}.

   {Sword knot}, a ribbon tied to the hilt of a sword.

   {Sword law}, government by the sword, or by force; violence.
      --Milton.

   {Sword lily}. (Bot.) See {Gladiolus}.

   {Sword mat} (Naut.), a mat closely woven of yarns; -- so
      called from a wooden implement used in its manufacture.

   {Sword shrimp} (Zo["o]l.), a European shrimp ({Pasiph[ae]a
      sivado}) having a very thin, compressed body.

   {Sword stick}, a sword cane.

   {To measure swords with one}. See under {Measure}, v. t.

   {To put to the sword}. See under {Put}.

.
      (e) To push from land; as, to put off a boat.

   {To put on} or {upon}.
      (a) To invest one's self with, as clothes; to assume.
          ``Mercury . . . put on the shape of a man.''
          --L'Estrange.
      (b) To impute (something) to; to charge upon; as, to put
          blame on or upon another.
      (c) To advance; to promote. [Obs.] ``This came handsomely
          to put on the peace.'' --Bacon.
      (d) To impose; to inflict. ``That which thou puttest on
          me, will I bear.'' --2 Kings xviii. 14.
      (e) To apply; as, to put on workmen; to put on steam.
      (f) To deceive; to trick. ``The stork found he was put
          upon.'' --L'Estrange.
      (g) To place upon, as a means or condition; as, he put him
          upon bread and water. ``This caution will put them
          upon considering.'' --Locke.
      (h) (Law) To rest upon; to submit to; as, a defendant puts
          himself on or upon the country. --Burrill.

   {To put out}.
      (a) To eject; as, to put out and intruder.
      (b) To put forth; to shoot, as a bud, or sprout.
      (c) To extinguish; as, to put out a candle, light, or
          fire.
      (d) To place at interest; to loan; as, to put out funds.
      (e) To provoke, as by insult; to displease; to vex; as, he
          was put out by my reply. [Colloq.]
      (f) To protrude; to stretch forth; as, to put out the
          hand.
      (g) To publish; to make public; as, to put out a pamphlet.
      (h) To confuse; to disconcert; to interrupt; as, to put
          one out in reading or speaking.
      (i) (Law) To open; as, to put out lights, that is, to open
          or cut windows. --Burrill.
      (j) (Med.) To place out of joint; to dislocate; as, to put
          out the ankle.
      (k) To cause to cease playing, or to prevent from playing
          longer in a certain inning, as in base ball.

   {To put over}.
      (a) To place (some one) in authority over; as, to put a
          general over a division of an army.
      (b) To refer.

                For the certain knowledge of that truth I put
                you o'er to heaven and to my mother. --Shak.
      (c) To defer; to postpone; as, the court put over the
          cause to the next term.
      (d) To transfer (a person or thing) across; as, to put one
          over the river.

   {To put the hand} {to or unto}.
      (a) To take hold of, as of an instrument of labor; as, to
          put the hand to the plow; hence, to engage in (any
          task or affair); as, to put one's hand to the work.
      (b) To take or seize, as in theft. ``He hath not put his
          hand unto his neighbor's goods.'' --Ex. xxii. 11.

   {To put through}, to cause to go through all conditions or
      stages of a progress; hence, to push to completion; to
      accomplish; as, he put through a measure of legislation;
      he put through a railroad enterprise. [U.S.]

   {To put to}.
      (a) To add; to unite; as, to put one sum to another.
      (b) To refer to; to expose; as, to put the safety of the
          state to hazard. ``That dares not put it to the
          touch.'' --Montrose.
      (c) To attach (something) to; to harness beasts to.
          --Dickens.

   {To put to a stand}, to stop; to arrest by obstacles or
      difficulties.

   {To put to bed}.
      (a) To undress and place in bed, as a child.
      (b) To deliver in, or to make ready for, childbirth.

   {To put to death}, to kill.

   {To put together}, to attach; to aggregate; to unite in one.
      

   {To put this and that} (or {two and two}) {together}, to draw
      an inference; to form a correct conclusion.

   {To put to it}, to distress; to press hard; to perplex; to
      give difficulty to. ``O gentle lady, do not put me to
      't.'' --Shak.

   {To put to rights}, to arrange in proper order; to settle or
      compose rightly.

   {To put to the sword}, to kill with the sword; to slay.

   {To put to trial}, or {on trial}, to bring to a test; to try.
      

   {To put trust in}, to confide in; to repose confidence in.

   {To put up}.
      (a) To pass unavenged; to overlook; not to punish or
          resent; to put up with; as, to put up indignities.
          [Obs.] ``Such national injuries are not to be put
          up.'' --Addison.
      (b) To send forth or upward; as, to put up goods for sale.
      (d) To start from a cover, as game. ``She has been
          frightened; she has been put up.'' --C. Kingsley.
      (e) To hoard. ``Himself never put up any of the rent.''
          --Spelman.
      (f) To lay side or preserve; to pack away; to store; to
          pickle; as, to put up pork, beef, or fish.
      (g) To place out of sight, or away; to put in its proper
          place; as, put up that letter. --Shak.
      (h) To incite; to instigate; -- followed by to; as, he put
          the lad up to mischief.
      (i) To raise; to erect; to build; as, to put up a tent, or
          a house.
      (j) To lodge; to entertain; as, to put up travelers.

   {To put up a job}, to arrange a plot. [Slang]

   Syn: To place; set; lay; cause; produce; propose; state.

   Usage: {Put}, {Lay}, {Place}, {Set}. These words agree in the
          idea of fixing the position of some object, and are
          often used interchangeably. To put is the least
          definite, denoting merely to move to a place. To place
          has more particular reference to the precise location,
          as to put with care in a certain or proper place. To
          set or to lay may be used when there is special
          reference to the position of the object.