swine
noun /swaɪn/
/swaɪn/
(plural swines, swine)
Idioms - [countable] (informal) an unpleasant person
- He's an arrogant little swine!
- [countable] (British English, informal) a difficult or unpleasant thing or task
- The car can be a swine to start.
- swine[plural] (old use or specialist) pigs
- a herd of swine
- swine fever (= a disease of pigs)
Word OriginOld English swīn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zwijn and German Schwein, also to sow2.
Idioms
cast, throw, etc. pearls before swine
- to give or offer valuable things to people who do not understand their value