swab

Related to swab: swob

swab (something) out of (something)

To wipe dirt or other contaminants out of something with a something absorbent or cleansing. It always makes me gag to see him swabbing wax out of his ears like that. Make sure you carefully swab all the dirt out of the wound before you apply the bandage.
See also: of, out, swab

swab down

To clean or wash some surface with an absorbent cleaning implement. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swab" and "down." He has been relegated to swabbing down the deck for the foreseeable future as punishment for his actions. I swabbed her brow down with a cool, wet sponge.
See also: down, swab

swab out

1. To use something absorbent to clean the inside of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swab" and "out." Did you hear me? I said go clean your room! Do you need to swab your ears out? The doctor carefully swabbed out the wound and then rinsed it with a saline solution.
2. To use something absorbent to clean dirt or other contaminants out of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swab" and "out." It always makes me gag to see him swabbing wax out of his ears like that. Make sure you carefully swab out all the dirt before you apply the bandage.
See also: out, swab
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

swab something down

to wash or scrub something, such as the deck of a ship. The sailors were told to swab the deck down each day. Swab down the deck!
See also: down, swab

swab something out

to wash or wipe something out in order to make it clean. The doctor swabbed my ear out carefully. The doctor swabbed out my ear carefully.
See also: out, swab

swab something out of something

 and swab something Out
to wipe or mop something out of something. The doctor swabbed the wax out of my ear. I swabbed out the last of the mud on the floor.
See also: of, out, swab
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

swab down

v.
To clean a surface with a swab: The sailor swabbed down the deck. If the table is dirty, swab it down with lots of soap.
See also: down, swab

swab out

v.
To clean the inside of something with a swab: I used this cloth to swab out the rifles. The doctor swabbed my ear out.
See also: out, swab
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a horse of another
  • a horse of another color
  • a horse of another colour
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • all right
  • (you) wanna make something of it?
  • all for the best
References in periodicals archive
Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in Forensic Swab Market: There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over the globe.
Forensic Swab Market 2019 Global Share Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Growth Insight, Trends, Size, Share, New Development and Region wise Forecast To 2023
In some instances, the tips of the cotton swabs or the cotton fibers themselves can dislodge and remain within the ear canal.
Why it's not a good idea to clean your ears with cotton swabs
About the technology that lies behind your flock swabs?
Puritan Medical Products celebrates a century of service
"Flocked rectal swabs are used at the point of care and are quick and acceptable, but there are few precedents in the literature for their use in children or in patients with vomiting without diarrhea," he said.
Rectal swabs, stool tests match in kids with GI disease
The cotton swab touches only the accused's outer skin.
Supreme Court: No warrant to swab your genitals? No Problem!
The inflammatory reaction elicited by the swab initiates a process of self-extrusion, because the human body has the capability to recognise the sponge as a foreign body and its instinct is to eliminate it.[3] Extrusion may be external and occur via a sinus or the abdominal incision itself; alternatively, it may be internal by eroding and perforating a hollow viscus and then migrating into the viscus aided by peristalsis.
Gossypiboma--the retained surgical swab: an enduring clinical challenge
According to the company, the nasal swabs are most effective at shortening the duration of a cold when used at the first sign.
Zicam reformulates cold remedy
An audience member raised the possibility that the penile swab specimen could have been inadvertently contaminated with biological material brought up from the prior urethral swab.
Self-collected penile swabs good for STI testing
Doctors were able to remove the surgical swab with forceps.
New Zealand Woman Shocked to Find Big Surgical Swab Left Inside Body After Giving Birth
The women performed vulvovaginal swabs for NAAT (Aptima Combo-2, Hologic GenProbe, San Diego, Calif) prior to a speculum exam; endocervical swab for both NAAT and culture and a urethral swab for culture were collected by the clinician.
Is self-swabbing for STIs a good idea?
Table 2: Swab results with final outcome in first trimester
Cervico-vaginal swabs to predict prom: a case study
Of the swab samples taken from children by the force in 2010 and 2011: 35 were from ten-year-olds, 137 from 11-year-olds 284 from 12-year-olds 627 from 13-year-olds 957 from 14-year-olds 1,212 from 15-year-olds 1,273 from 16-year-olds 1,260 from 17-year-olds.
COPS SWAB 6,000 KIDS FOR DNA; Samples from children as young as 10
Of the swab samples taken from children by the force in 2010 and 2011, 35 were taken from ten-yearolds, 137 from 11-year-olds, 284 from 12-year-olds, 627 from 13-yearolds, 957 from 14-year-olds, 1,212 from 15-year-olds, 1,273 from 16-year-olds and 1,260 from 17-yearolds.
Hundreds of young children on police DNA database
In a report in ACS' The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, scientist Yehuda Zeiri and colleagues explained that most tests for traces of explosives begin by rubbing a swab made from glass fiber, Teflon or cotton over the suspect material.
Scientists develop simple way to improve sensitivity of airport security screening: Report
Crewman must swab the bore after each round fired to clear chamber of hot embers.
Breech swabbing warning