a piece of wet, spongy land that is permanently or periodically covered with water, characterized by growths of shrubs and trees; marsh; bog
Origin:
< dial. var. (or LowG cognate) of ME sompe, akin to MLowG swamp, Goth & OE swamm, fungus, mushroom < IE base *swomb(h)os, spongy, porous > Gr somphos, spongy
adjective
of or native to a swamp
transitive verb
to plunge or sink in a swamp, deep water, etc.
to flood or submerge with or as with water
to overcome or overwhelm; ruin: swamped by debts
to sink (a boat) by filling with water
☆ to make (a path) or clear (an area) by removing underbrush and slash, as in logging