Swallow (noun) refers to a small passerine bird with a slender body, long pointed wings, and a deeply forked tail; it also denotes the action of swallowing, i.e., moving something from the mouth to the stomach. In everyday use, it commonly appears in phrases about eating, drinking, or mental lappings of emotion. The term carries delicate, swift connotations tied to flight in birds and the act of ingestion in bodily function.
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