Swallow \Swal"low\, n. [OE. swalowe, AS. swalewe, swealwe;
         akin
   to D. zwaluw, OHG. swalawa, G. schwalbe, Icel. &
         Sw. svala,
   Dan. svale.]
   1. (Zool.) Any one of
         numerous species of passerine birds of
      the family Hirundinidae,
         especially one of those species
      in which the tail is
         deeply forked. They have long,
      pointed wings, and are
         noted for the swiftness and
      gracefulness of their
         flight.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The most common
         North American species are the barn
         swallow (see under Barn),
         the cliff, or eaves,
         swallow (see under Cliff),
         the white-bellied, or
         tree, swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), and the bank
         swallow (see under Bank).
         The common European swallow
         (Chelidon
         rustica), and the window swallow, or martin
         (Chelidon
         urbica), are familiar species.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species
         of swifts which
      resemble the true swallows in form
         and habits, as the
      common American chimney swallow,
         or swift.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Naut.) The
         aperture in a block through which the rope
      reeves.
         --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Swallow
         plover} (Zool.), any one of several species of
     
         fork-tailed ploverlike birds of the genus Glareola, as
  
            Glareola
         orientalis of India; a pratincole.

  
         Swallow shrike
         (Zool.), any one of several species of
         East
      Indian and Asiatic birds of the family
         Artamiidae,
     
         allied to the shrikes but similar to
         swallows in
      appearance and habits. The ashy swallow
         shrike (Artamus
         fuscus) is common in India.

  
         Swallow warbler
         (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
 
             East Indian and Australian singing birds of the genus
 
             Dicaeum. They are
         allied to the honeysuckers.
     
         [1913 Webster]