sweat

When your body releases water to cool itself down, it sweats. Bodies also sweat because of nervousness or fear:

• Everyone sweats when it’s hot outside. He’s sweating. His body is sweaty. Sweat is dripping off of his forehead.

• He’s sweating because he’s nervous.

• He’s sweating because he’s scared.

This word is often used in expressions that describe situations in which a person is not actually sweating.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff. (Don’t worry about little things.)
• Do you need some money? No sweat. Here’s ten dollars. (no sweat = no problem)
• He completed all of his work without even breaking a sweat.
• Jill sweated through seven years of college before she became a lawyer.

The word "sweat" is also used for clothing:

• Ned wears a sweat suit when he works out.
• College kids like to wear sweatshirts with the name of their college on the front of the shirt.
• Sweat pants keep your legs warm and they’re very comfortable to wear around the house.
• Sweaters are popular when it’s cold outside. A sweater can be worn for both formal and casual occasions.
• A sweatband will keep sweat from dripping down onto your eyes.

She’s wearing a sweater.

I’m wearing a sweatshirt.

Click here to go to the Word of the Day page.

This page was first published on July 18, 2012. It was updated on March 20, 2015.