From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Swab \Swab\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swabbed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Swabbing.] [See Swabber, n.]
To clean with a mop or swab; to wipe when very wet, as after
washing; as, to swab the desk of a ship. [Spelt also swob.]
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Swab \Swab\, n. [Written also swob.]
1. A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels,
etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.
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2. A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle,
for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying
medicaments to deep-seated parts, etc.
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3. (Naut.) An epaulet. [Sailor's Slang] --Marryat.
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4. A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease. [Obs.] --Bailey.
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5. A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long
rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.
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