Dictionary

sheathe en · VERB

Pronunciation

• shēth (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ʃiːv/ th-fronting
• (General-American) audio
• /ʃiːð/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ʃið/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Late Middle English shethen (“to put (a sword or knife) into a sheath, sheathe; to provide with a sheath; (figuratively) to have sexual intercourse”) [and other forms], then: * probably from Old English *scēaþian; or * possibly from Middle English sheth, shethe (“holder for a sword, knife, etc., scabbard, sheath”) [and other forms] + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). Sheth(e) is derived from Old English sċēaþ (“sheath”), from Proto-West Germanic *skaiþiju, from Proto-Germanic *skaiþiz (“sheath; covering”), from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to dissect, split”) (possibly from the notion of a split stick with a sword inserted).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To put (something such as a knife or sword) into a sheath.
   • Ke okakla foo le, obon oke-woo. If thy knife cut thee thou sheathest it. N.B.—Meaning thou dost not cast it away. 1865, “Proverbs in the Ga or Accra Language”, in Richard F[rancis] Burton, compiler, Wit and Wisdom from West Africa; or A Book of Proverbial Philosophy, Idioms, Enigmas, and Laconisms, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], →OCLC, number 190, page 169:
   • Be aware of the smiling enemy, that openly sheatheth his weapon, / But mingleth poison in secret with the sacred salt of hospitality. 1838, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Of Searching for Pride”, in Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, London: Joseph Rickerby, […], →OCLC, page 69:
   • At Sight of thee, the Villain ſheaths his Sword, / Nor ſcales the Wall, to ſteal the wealthy Hoard. [1716], [John] Gay, “Book III. Of Walking the Streets by Night.”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […], →OCLC, page 53:
   • Thy Chamber vvith Ambroſiall odors breatheth, / Nevv loues and true loues vnto them that entreateth, / And furious Mars made milde his Faulcheon ſheatheth / At thy delicious aſpect: […] 1607 February 12 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [Barnabe Barnes], The Divils Charter: A Tragædie Conteining the Life and Death of Pope Alexander the Sixt. […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Iohn Wright, […], published 1607, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii, signature E2, verso:
   • Sheath your Dagger: / Be angry when you will, it ſhall haue ſcope: […] 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 125, column 1:
2. (transitive) To encase (something) with a protective covering.
   • She sheathed her legs in the sheerest of the nylons that her father had brought back from the Continent, and slipped her feet into the toeless, high-heeled shoes of black suède. 1954, Alexander Alderson, chapter 17, in The Subtle Minotaur, London: John Gifford, →OCLC, →OL:
   • A chearful heart does good like a medicine, but envy corrodes like a poiſon; it is ſo ſharp, that it cuts the body which ſheathes it. 1765, Edward Young, “A Vindication of Providence: Or, A True Measure of Human Life. In which the Passions are Considered in a New Light.”, in The Works in Prose, of the Reverend Edward Young, LL.D. […], London: Printed for P. Brown, H. Hill, and S. Payne, →OCLC, page 239:
   • But he could never come up with enough enchantment or dream material to sheathe himself in. It would not cover. 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 232:
   • When thou sheathest thy glances in thy eyelids, they inflict deadly wounds: what must they be when thou drawest them from their scabbards! 1843, Ibn Khallikan, quoting Najm ad-din Mûsa al-Kamrâwi, “Abu ’l-Hasan al-Husri”, in [William] Mac Gukin de Slane, transl., Ibn Khallikan’s Biographical Dictionary: Translated from the Arabic (Oriental Translation Fund; no. 59), volume I, Paris: Printed for the Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland; sold by Benjamin Duprat, […] and Allen and Co, […], →OCLC, page 243:
3. (transitive) Of an animal: to draw back or retract (a body part) into the body, such as claws into a paw.
   • We are told, that Dews and the Juices of Flowers are their [hummingbirds'] Food, which they extract with their little Tongue, whoſe Length exceeds that of their Bill, and ſerves them inſtead of a Trunk, which they contract and ſheathe in their Bill. 1750, [Noël-Antoine Pluche], “Birds. Dialogue XI.”, in Samuel Humphreys, transl., Spectacle de la Nature: Or, Nature Display’d. Being Discourses on Such Particulars of Natural History, as were Thought Most Proper to Excite the Curiosity, and Form the Minds of Youth. […] Translated from the Original French, 7th revised and corrected edition, London: Printed for R. Francklin, […], →OCLC, page 183:
   • So when the gen'rous Lyon has in ſight / His equal match, he rouſes for the fight; / But when his foe lyes proſtrate on the plain, / He ſheaths his paws, uncurls his angry mane; / And, plea'd with bloudleſs honours of the day, / Walks over, and diſdains th' inglorious Prey, […] 1687, [John Dryden], “The Third Part”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 88:
4. (dated, figuratively, literary, poetic, transitive) To thrust (a sharp object like a sword, a claw, or a tusk) into something.
   • And nuzzling in his flank, the loving swine / Sheathed unaware the tusk in his soft groin. 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 186], lines [1115–1116]; republished as Shakespeare’s Venus & Adonis: […], London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent and Co. […], 1896, →OCLC, verse 186, page 65, lines 1115–1116:
   • [T]hey who either thro Hatred, or Ambition, or Covetouſneſs, do fight with evil Men, and ſo kill one another, fight not under the Banner of Chriſt, but the Devil; ſhewing […] how difficult for ſuch to be in Charity (without which no Man ſhall ſee God) who ſheathe their Swords in their Brethens Bowels. 1708, Erasmus Roterodamus, “[A Sermon of Conforming and Reforming, Made to the Convocation at St. Paul’s Church in London, by John Colet, D.D. Dean of the Said Church, in the Year 1511.] The Life of Dr. Colet.”, in [John Dunton], editor, The Second Volume of The Phenix: Or, A Revival of Scarce and Valuable Pieces No Where to be Found but in the Closets of the Curious. […], volume II, number Phenix XVII, London: Printed for J[ohn] Morphew […], →OCLC, § 29, page 25:
   • Nay, neuer beare me hence, diſpatch me heere: / Here ſheath thy Sword, Ile pardon thee my death: […] c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], page 171, column 1:
5. (figuratively, obsolete, rare, transitive) To abandon or cease (animosity, etc.)
   • Let him die, but firſt ſheth your impatience, throw cold water on your collor, […] c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
6. (obsolete, transitive) To provide (a sword, etc.) with a sheath.
   • Nathaniels coate ſir was not fully made, / And Gabrels pumpes were all vnpinkt i'th heele: / There was no Linke to colour Peters hat, / And Walters dagger was not come from ſheathing: […] c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 221, column 2:
7. (obsolete, transitive) To relieve the harsh or painful effect of (a drug, a poison, etc.).
   • Comfry Root (Symphytum) is a principal Vulnerary; it is very mucilaginous and thickening, its clammy Juice ſheathes the Sharpneſs of the Humours; […] 1747, Tho[mas] Short, Medicina Britannica: Or A Treatise on Such Physical Plants, as are Generally to be Found in the Fields and Gardens in Great-Britain: Containing a Particular Account of Their Nature, Virtues, and Uses. […], 2nd edition, London: Printed for R. Manby and H. Shute Cox, […], →OCLC, paragraph 73, page 66:
   • [page 540] Theſe ſmooth and oily Med'cines act by ſheathing acrimonious Salts in the Blood, and preventing Inconveniences from 'em; and by relaxing the Fibres, and hence widening 'em. […] [page 541] [They] are convenient in Coughs, from thin and ſharp Rheums, becauſe they ſheathe the Salts that gall the Lungs. 1716, John Radcliffe, “[An Appendix to Dr. Radcliffe’s Recipe’s.] Ramose, Flexile, Smooth Medicines. [Observations.]”, in Pharmacopoeia Radcliffeana: Or, Dr. Radcliff’s Prescriptions, Faithfully Gather’d from His Original Recipes. […], 2nd corrected edition, London: Printed for Charles Rivington, […], →OCLC, pages 540 and 541:
   • He concludes this Diſſertation, by endeavouring to explain the Manner of its [olive oil's] operating, which he attributes to its fat inviſcating Nature, whereby it ſheathes the Spicula of the Poiſon. 1738 December, C. Mortimer, “VI. An Abstract by C. Mortimer, M.D. Secr[etary of the] R[oyal] S[ociety] of an Inaugural Dissertation Published at Wittemberg 1736. by Dr. Abraham Vater, F.R.S. Concerning the Cure of the Bite of a Viper, Cured by Sallad-oil.”, in Philosophical Transactions. Giving Some Account of the Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours, of the Ingenious, in Many Considerable Parts of the World, volume XXXIX, number 451, London: Printed for T. Woodward, […] ; and C. Davis […] ; printers to the Royal Society, →OCLC, page 443:

Forms

Antonyms

unsheathe · unsheathe · unsheathe

Deriveds

insheath · sheathe the sword · resheathe · ensheath · sheathed cable · sheathable · dissheathe · ensheathe · insheathe · sheather

Translations (37)

de ummanteln (to put (something) into a sheath) · fr rengainer (to put (something) into a sheath) · it rinfoderare (to put (something) into a sheath) · bg обвивам (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · ja 鞘に収める (to put (something) into a sheath) · ru вкла́дывать в но́жны (to put (something) into a sheath) · fr engainer (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · bg прибирам в ножница (to put (something) into a sheath) · ca embeinar (to put (something) into a sheath) · fi vetää sisään (of an animal: to draw back or retract (a body part) into the body) · fr engainer (to put (something) into a sheath) · it inguainare (to put (something) into a sheath) · ru обши́ть (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · ota قینلامق (to put (something) into a sheath) · gl envaiñar (to put (something) into a sheath) · ja 鞘に入れる (to put (something) into a sheath) · is setja í slíður (to put (something) into a sheath) · nl in de schede steken (to put (something) into a sheath) · eo ingi (to put (something) into a sheath) · no stikke i sliren (to put (something) into a sheath) · ru обшива́ть (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · bg обшивам (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · sv sticka i slidan (to put (something) into a sheath) · ota قینلامق (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · fi kätkeä (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · da stikke i skede (to put (something) into a sheath) · fi peittää (to encase (something) with a protective covering) · fi panna tuppeen (to put (something) into a sheath) · ru пря́тать в но́жны (to put (something) into a sheath) · pt abainhar (to put (something) into a sheath) · nl terugtrekken (to put (something) into a sheath) · es envainar (to put (something) into a sheath) · io engainigar (to put (something) into a sheath) · de in die Scheide stecken (to put (something) into a sheath) · is slíðra (to put (something) into a sheath) · ru класть в футляр (to put (something) into a sheath) · pt embainhar (to put (something) into a sheath)