once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
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Trade War Overview Tariff threats and trade policies are being weaponized to advance U.S. geopolitical conflict deterrence and economic statecraft, acting as the sword and shield of economic security to support U.S. self-sufficiency and undercut Chinese economic power.—Jason Schenker, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 Some weapons, like warhammers, can only do blunt damage, while something like a sword or spear can switch between slicing and stabbing at the push of a button.—William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025 According to police records, the famed Renaissance painter Caravaggio once attacked a waiter with a casserole and tried to stab him with a sword for not disclosing which of his artichokes were cooked in olive oil and which in butter.—Tamar Adler, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025 Family keepsakes include a jeweled sword from Saudi Arabia, dresses worn by Michelle Obama at inaugural ceremonies and a baseball signed by the 2010 San Francisco Giants.—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sword
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English sweord; akin to Old High German swert sword
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of sword was
before the 12th century
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