sweetsweet1 /swiːt/ ●●● S2 W3 adjective (comparative sweeter, superlative sweetest) 
This tea is too sweet. sweet juicy peaches sweet wine► see thesaurus at taste2character kind, gentle, and friendly: a sweet smile How sweet of you to remember my birthday! → sweet-tempered
► see thesaurus at kind, nice3children/small things especially British English looking pretty and attractive SYN cute: Your little boy looks very sweet in his new coat.4thoughts/emotions making you feel pleased, happy, and satisfied: Revenge is sweet. the sweet smell of success the sweet taste of victory Goodnight, Becky. Sweet dreams.5smells having a pleasant smell SYN fragrant: sweet-smelling flowers the sickly sweet (=unpleasantly sweet) smell of rotting fruit6sounds pleasant to listen to OPP harsh: She has a very sweet singing voice.7have a sweet tooth to like things that taste of sugar8water/air if you describe water or air as sweet, you mean that it is fresh and clean OPP stale: She hurried to the door and took great gulps of the sweet air.9keep somebody sweet informal to behave in a pleasant friendly way towards someone, because you want them to help you later: I’m trying to keep Mum sweet so that she’ll lend me the car.10in your own sweet way/time if you do something in your own sweet way or time, you do it in exactly the way that you want to or when you want to, without considering what other people say or think: You can’t just go on in your own sweet way; we have to do this together.11a sweet deal American English a business or financial deal in which you get an advantage, pay a low price etc: I got a sweet deal on the car.12sweet FA (also sweet Fanny Adams) British English informal nothing at all – used when someone wants to avoid saying a swear word directly: ‘How much did they pay you for that job?’ ‘Sweet FA!’13sweet nothings things that lovers say to each other: a couple whispering sweet nothings to each other14be sweet on somebody old-fashioned to be very attracted to or in love with someone15sweet! spoken informal used to say that you think that something is very good: ‘I got four tickets to the concert.’ ‘Sweet!’—sweetly adverb → home sweet home at home1(13), → short and sweet at short1(1), sweetnessTHESAURUSsweet sweet food or drink has had sugar added or contains natural sugars: · Italian oranges are very sweet.· a cup of hot sweet teasugary sweet because a lot of sugar has been added: · Sugary foods are bad for your teeth.sickly British English tasting unpleasantly sweet: · The dessert was rather sweet and sickly.· a sickly sweet fruit drinkcloying tasting or smelling unpleasantly sweet: · I find strawberry and peach drinks too cloying.· the cloying smell of fish oil
WORD ORIGINsweet1
Origin:
Old English sweteEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- sweet, juicy peaches
- a sweet singing voice
- a cup of hot sweet tea
- Fran is such a sweet person.
- He's a really sweet guy but I couldn't date him.
- It was very sweet of you to buy me those flowers.
- Italian oranges are much sweeter than the ones we buy in Britain.
- Jessica looks so sweet in that hat.
- Oh, thank you so much - you are sweet!
- The pie is a little too sweet for me.
- We've lost to them four times, so beating them was really sweet.
- After the sweet juice is extracted, they carry it in wooden buckets on their heads to the next stage.
- And the old fountain, now green with moss and algae, made a sweet, pattering sound.
- Aromatherapy: massage with essential oils made from natural sources and blended with a neutral base, such as sweet almond oils.
- Catherine said the music sounded sweeter from high up, and so she went to sit in the dark on the stairs.
- His secret is a tone that is preternaturally sweet and centered.
- Specifically, it is citrus vodka, orange passion fruit liqueur, and a hint of sweet and sour.
- Your belly is very furry and quite sweet.
THESAURUS
sweet food or drink has had sugar added or contains natural sugars: · Italian oranges are very sweet.· a cup of hot sweet tea
sweet because a lot of sugar has been added: · Sugary foods are bad for your teeth.
British English tasting unpleasantly sweet: · The dessert was rather sweet and sickly.· a sickly sweet fruit drink
tasting or smelling unpleasantly sweet: · I find strawberry and peach drinks too cloying.· the cloying smell of fish oil
Longman Language Activatornice person especially spoken friendly and kind: · Claire's really nice, isn't she?· He's one of the nicest people I know.nice to: · I sometimes think she's only nice to me when she wants something.it's nice of somebody to do something: · It was nice of them to offer to help.
friendly, polite, and easy to talk to - use this especially about someone you do not know well: · I only met her once or twice but she seemed a very pleasant girl.· Most of the students we get here are extremely pleasant and keen to learn.
nice, and easy to like: · Ian is very likeable and has always had lots of friends.· The only likeable character in the whole movie is Judge White.
especially British, informal very nice, kind, and friendly: · Old Dr Macintosh was a lovely man.· The staff at the hotel were lovely - so helpful and polite.
also good-humoured British, /good-humored American someone who is good-natured is kind, helpful, and does not get angry easily: · Neil was a gentle good-natured chap, the type of man you instantly trust and feel comfortable around.· Ann's always good-humored, no matter what happens.· It was a difficult situation, but he managed to remain remarkably good-humoured.
informal someone who is sweet is kind and gentle, and tries to make other people happy: · He's a really sweet guy but I couldn't date him.· Oh, thank you so much - you are sweet!it is sweet of somebody to do something: · It was very sweet of you to buy me those flowers.
able to make people like you or do things for you because you are attractive and have good manners: · He was charming, good-looking and in his early forties.· The Vice Chairman has a very charming wife and four children.· a charming smile
also loveable a lovable person is friendly and gentle in a way that is very attractive: · Matthew can be a difficult child, but most of the time he's very loveable.a lovable idiot: · Crawford is best known to television audiences as a lovable idiot.
an endearing quality, habit etc is one that makes you like the person who has it: · Louise's complete honesty was one of her most endearing qualities.· He had a boyish, slightly dreamy look that was very endearing.
formal interesting or amusing in a way that makes people like you: · Komansky, the new chairman of the company, is a smart, straightforward, engaging fellow.· Wyatt described her as "a lovely woman - sophisticated and engaging".· an engaging personality
someone, especially a child or an animal, that is adorable is very attractive and makes you feel a lot of love towards them: · We eventually found the cat in the wardrobe, surrounded by six adorable kittens.absolutely/simply/quite etc adorable (=very adorable): · Have you seen their new baby - she's simply adorable!
with a sweet taste food or drink that is sweet has a taste like sugar: · Italian oranges are much sweeter than the ones we buy in Britain.· a cup of hot sweet tea
very sweet or too sweet because a lot of sugar has been added: · Eat fruit between meals, and try to avoid sugary snacks.
British tasting unpleasantly sweet: · The melons were overripe and had a sickly taste.
to make something taste sweet or sweeter: · Sprinkle sugar onto the cooked fruit to sweeten it.· a can of sweetened milk
to have a particular taste: taste taste adjective · This milk tastes strange - do you think it's OK to drink?taste like · It's a vegetarian pie, but it tastes just like meat!taste of (=have the taste of something) · I ordered chocolate ice cream but this tastes of coffee.
· The soup had a very strong, spicy taste.
British /flavored American use this to say what kind of taste something has: · We have a variety of flavored waters available.· The potato salad was flavored with onions, the way Mattie liked it.lemon-flavoured/chocolate-flavoured etc (=having the taste of lemon, chocolate etc added): · an orange-flavoured drinkhighly flavoured/strongly flavoured etc: · The wines of Alsace are dry and delicately flavoured.
WORD SETSablaze, adjectiveacoustic, adjectiveacoustics, nounaglow, adjectivebaa, verbbabble, verbbabble, nounbabel, nounbaby talk, nounbackfire, verbbackground, nounbang, nounbang, verbbang, interjectionbark, verbbark, nounbattle cry, nounbay, verbbeat, verbbeat, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounblare, verbblast, nounbleat, verbbleep, nounbleep, verbblip, nounbong, nounboom, nounboom, verbbowwow, interjectionbrassy, adjectivebray, verbbrazen, adjectivebreathy, adjectivebubble, verbbump, nounchatter, verbchatter, nounclink, verbclink, nouncrack, verbcrack, nouncrackle, verbcrackling, nouncrash, verbcrash, nouncreak, verbcreaky, adjectivecroak, verbcroak, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcrunch, nouncrunch, verbding-dong, noundiscord, noundiscordant, adjectivedrone, verbdrone, noundrown, verbdrum, verbdrumbeat, noundrumming, noundull, adjectiveecho, verbecho, nounfizz, verbflat, adjectivefootfall, nounfootstep, nounfusillade, noungrinding, adjectivegroan, verbgroan, noungrunt, verbgrunt, nounguffaw, verbgunshot, nounguttural, adjectivehigh, adjectivehigh, adverbhiss, verbindistinct, adjectiveirregular, adjectivelow, verbmarbled, adjectivematching, adjectivemellow, adjectivemelodic, adjectivemelodious, adjectivemetallic, adjectivemoan, verbmoan, nounmodulate, verbmonotone, nounmoo, verbmurmur, verbmurmur, nounmusical, adjectivemusically, adverbmute, verbnasal, adjectivenoise, nounoink, interjectionoof, interjectionpatter, verbpatter, nounpeal, nounpeal, verbpenetrating, adjectivepercussion, nounpsychedelic, adjectivepulse, nounputter, verbquack, verbquack, nounquaver, nounracket, nounrasp, verbrasp, nounraspberry, nounrat-a-tat, nounrattle, nounraucous, adjectivereedy, adjectivereport, nounresonance, nounresonant, adjectiveresonate, verbresonator, nounresound, verbresounding, adjectivereverberate, verbreverberation, nounrich, adjectivering, nounring, verbringing, adjectiveripple, verbripple, nounroar, nounroaring, adjectiveroll, verbrough, adjectiverustle, verbrustle, nounscratch, verbscratch, nounscream, verbscream, nounscrunch, verbsmoky, adjectivesnarl, verbsoft, adjectivesoft-spoken, adjectivesonorous, adjectivesotto voce, adverbsplosh, verbsweet, adjectiveswoosh, verbtick-tock, nountinny, adjectivetonal, adjectivevivid, adjectivevowel, nounwail, verbweak, adjectivewhack, nounwham, interjectionwhine, verbwhinny, verbwhirr, verbwhistle, verbwhistle, nounyelp, nounyowl, verbzoom, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY How sweet of you to remember my birthday! the sweet smell of success the sweet taste of victory Goodnight, Becky. Sweet dreams. the sickly sweet (=unpleasantly sweet) smell of rotting fruit a couple whispering sweet nothings to each otherCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I promise to keep the meeting short and sweet (=short in a way that is good, especially not talking for a long time). a sickly sweet perfume
How sweet of you to remember my birthday! the sweet smell of success the sweet taste of victory Goodnight, Becky. Sweet dreams. the sickly sweet (=unpleasantly sweet) smell of rotting fruit a couple whispering sweet nothings to each other· This apple’s really sweet and delicious.
· The flavor was like peaches, but not as sweet.
· These biscuits have a very distinctive flavour.
(=pleasant)· The pianist played a sweet melody.
· She breathed in the sweet perfume of the roses.
(=said when someone feels good because they have got revenge)· It took me a long time, but revenge is sweet.
I promise to keep the meeting short and sweet (=short in a way that is good, especially not talking for a long time). a sickly sweet perfume· She liked the sweet smell of hay in the barn.
· The flowers had a lovely sweet smell.
· A ripe melon will smell sweet.
· The fruits have an excellent sweet taste.
· The soup had a funny taste.
· He handed me some black stuff which tasted bitter.
· a sweet-tasting drink
· I poured Helen a mug of sweet tea and waited for her to answer.
· A slightly sweet wine goes well with smoked duck.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· How musical the river and how charming the trees whispering sweet nothings as we pass!· The bed was comfortable and so large you had to shout sweet nothings.· Ned appeared to be whispering sweet nothings in her ear but his attentions were being met with a stony silence!
· Then she began to think to herself about which would be best, nasturtiums or sweet peas.· One day they left a bouquet of sweet peas from their garden, which the nurses took to him in his ward.· There does indeed seem to be little advantage in damaging the coat of modern varieties of sweet peas.· Decades later, the scent of sweet peas still made him gag.· Large seeds, such as sweet peas, are easily spaced by hand, but other techniques are needed for finer seeds.· A creamy green sauce, redolent of sweet pea and butter, provides the final touch.· In anticipation that the same problem might recur this summer I tried sowing some sweet peas with the runner beans.· Look out for the sweet peas back in Unwins Seeds Plants Plus collection.
· This treat he produced by mashing a sweet potato to pulp and adding sugar, vanilla extract, and evaporated milk.· Chemical control of sweet potato pests has had varying degrees of success, with many chemicals being too expensive.· Carrots, spinach, kale, broccoli and sweet potatoes are among foods rich in beta carotene.· I wonder if Stuart likes sweet potatoes?· Soybeans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, lettuce and wheat will be selected for their nutritional as well as their cleansing value.· The rest of the Brownies are sweet potato plants and they crouch in rows, making themselves as small as they can.
· Fish splashed in small pools and the sweet scent of the river hurrying by charmed our days.· An extravagant collection of activities centered on the family shrine, as the sweet scent of incense hovered placidly above us.· She noticed how his slicked-back hair carried the faint, sweet scent of gel.· The forsythia bushes at the back of the santuario yielded a delicate, sweet scent in the dewy air.· Katherine could smell the high sweet scent of marijuana.· If you like a sweeter scent and have a wetter spot, prostrate chamomile works the same way.· There was a warm sweet scent from the tidy muck heap.
· His wife still runs a sweet shop in Buckinghamshire.· And that it was the success of the sweet shop that had enabled her great-grandfather to buy this end of the business.· A sweet shop then was a veritable Aladdin's Cave for children, for most sweets were sold loose.· The classroom glowed like a sweet shop.· Parents often need help in anticipating how to cope with demands outside sweet shops or in supermarkets.· At Police Headquarters alarm bells rang in from government munition dumps, military vehicle compounds, hi-tech weapon factories and sweet shops.· But first we called at Mr Macauley's sweet shop to stock up for the frequent film changes.· Vary your daily routes to work etc, so you don't pass bakers or sweet shops which trigger your cravings.
· The air was thick with sawdust and the sweet smell of freshly cut wood.· The rain had stopped and the air was filled with the sweet smell of freshly washed earth.· Today, the sick sweet smell from the chemical company in the industrial part of town seems especially bad.· Such formulations are identified by a not unpleasant sweet smell.· It was hot and jammed and the air was redolent with the sickly sweet smell of cheap champagne.· I went and sniffed around the edges of the frosted glass back door: a good, clean, slightly sweet smell.· Without the bags, blood drained on the deck and filled the Huey with a sweet smell, a horribly recognizable smell.
· But she had the prettiest face and the sweetest smile you've ever seen.· A face devoid of guile, the sweetest smile I've ever seen.· She returned the greeting with a sweet smile.· Her sweet smile became sweeter and wider.· She was not beautiful, but she had big, kind brown eyes and a sweet smile.
· There is at these times a hot, sweet taste on my tongue, the taste of blood.· She raves over the low cholesterol content of kangaroo and it's distinctive, sweet taste.· It has a strong aroma and pungent, but slightly sweet taste and is suitable for freezing and drying.· Do not refrigerate potatoes; if stored below 40 degrees, they develop a sweet taste and tend to darken when cooked.· Chainsaw guitars and dreamy vocals make for a volatile cocktail which when mixed leaves a sweet taste.· Later she rose too, and their lips and tongues met again, full of sweet tastes.· We respond to all four strongly, but cats are weak when it comes to sweet tastes.· Until recently many authorities stated categorically that cats, almost alone among mammals, were incapable of detecting sweet tastes.
· What, then, is a melancholic with a sweet tooth to do?· We have, we are told, a sweet tooth, and we're rather proud of it.· These people had a vicious sweet tooth.· Total abstinence from any sweeteners can cure a sweet tooth permanently - which is much better in the long term.· I also have a very sweet tooth.· Satisfy your sweet tooth with natural sugar - fructose - from fruit and berries.· Jake may not have many teeth yet but developing a sweet tooth now could lead to decay later.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► keep somebody sweet► sweet FA► sweet!PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► sweet FA► sweet-spirited/tough-spirited/rebellious-spirited etc
- Did he think he was so important that he could finish the cottage in his own sweet time?
- I'd rather carry on in my own sweet way, and I'd rather be in Stockholm.
- I probably love him, in my own sweet way.
- You can just sit back and read the responses and decide the winner in your own sweet time.
- It's a sweet deal for the families.
- What a sweet deal that is-the stars get to look caring in exchange for prime time product placement.
- He whispered sweet nothings in her ear while they danced.
- How musical the river and how charming the trees whispering sweet nothings as we pass!
- Ned appeared to be whispering sweet nothings in her ear but his attentions were being met with a stony silence!
- The bed was comfortable and so large you had to shout sweet nothings.
- Some of the girls were sweet on him.
- Danny's always had a sweet tooth.
- If you have a sweet tooth, it is much better to make them part of a meal.
- Meanwhile closer to home, it's home sweet home for our footballing sides on parade.
- Well, here we are again, home sweet home.
WORD FAMILYnounsweetsweetenersweetnesssweetieadjectivesweetverbsweetenadverbsweetly
1taste containing or having a taste like sugar: This tea is too sweet. sweet juicy peaches sweet wine► see thesaurus at taste2character kind, gentle, and friendly: a sweet smile How sweet of you to remember my birthday! → sweet-tempered► see thesaurus at kind, nice3children/small things especially British English looking pretty and attractive SYN cute:
Your little boy looks very sweet in his new coat.4thoughts/emotions making you feel pleased, happy, and satisfied: Revenge is sweet. the sweet smell of success the sweet taste of victory Goodnight, Becky. Sweet dreams.5smells having a pleasant smell SYN fragrant: sweet-smelling flowers the sickly sweet (=unpleasantly sweet) smell of rotting fruit6sounds pleasant to listen to OPP harsh: She has a very sweet singing voice.7have a sweet tooth to like things that taste of sugar8water/air if you describe water or air as sweet, you mean that it is fresh and clean OPP stale: She hurried to the door and took great gulps of the sweet air.9keep somebody sweet informal to behave in a pleasant friendly way towards someone, because you want them to help you later: I’m trying to keep Mum sweet so that she’ll lend me the car.10in your own sweet way/time if you do something in your own sweet way or time, you do it in exactly the way that you want to or when you want to, without considering what other people say or think: You can’t just go on in your own sweet way; we have to do this together.11a sweet deal American English a business or financial deal in which you get an advantage, pay a low price etc: I got a sweet deal on the car.12sweet FA (also sweet Fanny Adams) British English informal nothing at all – used when someone wants to avoid saying a swear word directly: ‘How much did they pay you for that job?’ ‘Sweet FA!’13sweet nothings things that lovers say to each other: a couple whispering sweet nothings to each other14be sweet on somebody old-fashioned to be very attracted to or in love with someone15sweet! spoken informal used to say that you think that something is very good: ‘I got four tickets to the concert.’ ‘Sweet!’—sweetly adverb → home sweet home at home1(13), → short and sweet at short1(1), sweetnessTHESAURUSsweet sweet food or drink has had sugar added or contains natural sugars: · Italian oranges are very sweet.· a cup of hot sweet teasugary sweet because a lot of sugar has been added: · Sugary foods are bad for your teeth.sickly British English tasting unpleasantly sweet: · The dessert was rather sweet and sickly.· a sickly sweet fruit drinkcloying tasting or smelling unpleasantly sweet: · I find strawberry and peach drinks too cloying.· the cloying smell of fish oil