Definition of swaddy in English:
swaddy
nounPlural swaddies ˈswɒdi
British dated, informal A private soldier.
Example sentencesExamples
- He is hard-drinking, fighting everybody from the neighbourhood gossip to the swaddies.
- "Can't abide a swaddy," said Joe; "never could."
- In one of his journies from Lewes, Tom picked up some swaddies.
- Up comes a swaddy in a red cap.
- Approaching a very handsome house, he told me an old swaddy lived there.
Synonyms
private soldier, common soldier
Origin
Early 19th century: from dialect swad 'soldier', perhaps of Scandinavian origin.