- the space or width covered with one cut of a scythe or other mowing device
- Rare a stroke with a scythe
- a line or row of grass, wheat, etc. cut in one course by a scythe, mower, etc.
- a long strip, streak, or zone of any kind: a red scarf providing a swath of color
Origin of swath
Middle English swathe from Old English swathu, a track, akin to German schwade, space covered by a scythe swing: for Indo-European base see swatheswath Idioms
cut a wide swath
to make an ostentatious display or forceful impression
