Word of the Day

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Today's Word: swale

This week's theme: Scrabble-friendly swamps.

swale

(noun) [swayl]

1. a low tract of moist or marshy land: "I told you to avoid the swale, but from the look of your shoes, I can tell that you ignored my advice."

2. a long narrow and shallow trough between ridges on a beach, running parallel to the coastline

3. a shallow trough-like depression that is created to carry water during rainstorms or snow melts

Origin

Approximately 1584; a special use of Scottish, 'swaill': low hollow place, or dialectal East Anglian, 'swale': shady place; both probably from Old Norse, 'svalr': cool.

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In Action

"At some point, Cope lost control of her vehicle and veered across the road and into a steel barricade moored with concrete. The impact ejected Cope and Talbot, who weren't wearing seatbelts, from the Miata. The car continued through the barricade and into a grassy water-retention swale."

Kurt Eckert. "Alcohol, speed likely factors in Aloha High grad's deadly crash," [Oregon] Hillsboro Argus (June 2, 2006).

"The workers have been clearing silt, soil and debris washed into a drainage swale by runoff from the heavy rains in February and March. They're also having to clear brush to get to the swale."

June Watanabe. "Kalaheo Hillside work nearing completion," Honolulu Star Bulletin (June 4, 2006).

"The design plans, which have been in the works for about a decade, feature new acorn-style lighting fixtures, repairing sidewalks, replacing the water main and planting medium-size trees like palms, live oaks and pink trumpet trees.

The 40 or so residents at the Wednesday's meeting, held by the city of Miami Beach's Capital Improvement Program Office, did not object to those elements of the plan but some were upset with plans to narrow the streets and improve drainage by widening the swales."

Carolina Zamora. "Discord hampers street project," Miami Herald (June 4, 2006).

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