Cleaned or wiped a surface with a soft, absorbent material like a mop or cloth.
From Dutch 'zwabber' meaning mop, entering English in the 17th century through maritime trade. Originally used by sailors to describe cleaning ship decks, the word evolved to mean any thorough wiping or cleaning action.
The word 'swab' became especially famous through medical testing—think COVID nasal swabs—but it started as a sailor's job! Sailors used swabs so often that the term became part of nautical slang for any crew member doing cleaning work.
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