swatches

Noun (1)

swatch (plural swatches)

1. A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material.
   • He held a swatch of the wallpaper up to see if the colors would match the room.
2. A selection of such samples bound together.
   • “Aisha, access the Pupa's informational color swatches. Okay, royal blue means the Pupa has kennel cough, cornflower blue means one of us just had a sex dream about the other one, navy blue means his Hulu plan is expiring, robin's egg blue means we get a free Xbox, Pacific blue means we all die at...2021 March 26, Josh Bycel & Jen McCartney, “The Solar Opposites Almost Get an Xbox” (1:25 from the start), in Solar Opposites, season 2, episode 8, spoken by Korvo Opposites (Justin Roiland)
3. (figuratively) A clump or portion of something.
   • I found myself truly moved by a stage event for the first time in years. I found myself humming tunes that one might not rightfully call tunes. Days later, I still remember these musical phrasings in little swatches of sound.1977 August 13, Jim Marko, “Swados' Rare and Moving Nightclub Cantata”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 6, page 11
4. (figuratively) A demonstration, an example, a proof.
   • Pray Sir, pay off the Old Debt, before I truſt you more New. This is a Swatch of Your Faith, and how much You are a Man of Your Word.1717, anonymous [William Wright], The Comical History of the Marriage betwixt Fergusia and Heptarchus, Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Brown, →OCLC, page 15
5. (Northern England, obsolete) A tag or other small object attached to another item as a means of identifying its owner; a tally; specifically the counterfoil of a tally.
   • ITEM that the said Clerkis of the Brevements entre all the Taillis of the Furniunturs in the Jornall Booke in the Countynghous every day furthwith after the Brede be delyveret to the Pantre and then the Stoke [i.e., main part] of the Taill to by delyveret to the Baker and the Swache to the Pantler....c. 1512, “The Booke of All the Directions and Orders for Kepynge of My Lordes Hous Yerely. X. ITEM The Articles Howe the Clerks of the Kechinge and Clerks of the Brevements Shall Order Them aswell...

Noun (2)

swatch (plural swatches)

1. (UK) A channel or passage of water between sandbanks, or between a sandbank and a seashore.
   • It muſt be obſerved, that the paſſages, called Cockerlees, are no other than ſwatches through the Long-Sand.1801, John Ritchie, “Instructions for Sailing in the Northern Part of the Bay of Bengal. Part I. Survey of the Coast from Point Palmiras to the Braces; of the Outlets of the Ganges, and of the...

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