sweet

[sweet] /swit/
adjective, sweeter, sweetest.
1.
having the taste or flavor characteristic of sugar, honey, etc.
2.
producing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is not bitter, sour, or salt.
3.
not rancid or stale; fresh:
This milk is still sweet.
4.
not salt or salted:
sweet butter.
5.
pleasing to the ear; making a delicate, pleasant, or agreeable sound; musical.
6.
pleasing or fresh to the smell; fragrant; perfumed.
7.
pleasing or agreeable; delightful.
8.
amiable; kind or gracious, as a person, action, etc.
9.
dear; beloved; precious.
10.
easily managed; done or effected without effort.
11.
(of wine) not dry; containing unfermented, natural sugar.
12.
(of a cocktail) made with a greater proportion of vermouth than usual.
13.
sentimental, cloying, or unrealistic:
a sweet painting of little kittens.
14.
(of air) fresh; free from odor, staleness, excess humidity, noxious gases, etc.
15.
free from acidity or sourness, as soil.
16.
Chemistry.
  1. devoid of corrosive or acidic substances.
  2. (of fuel oil or gas) containing no sulfur compounds.
17.
(of jazz or big band music) performed with a regular beat, moderate tempo, lack of improvisation, and an emphasis on warm tone and clearly outlined melody.
adverb
18.
in a sweet manner; sweetly.
noun
19.
a sweet flavor, smell, or sound; sweetness.
20.
something that is sweet or causes or gives a sweet flavor, smell, or sound.
21.
sweets, Informal.
  1. candied sweet potatoes.
  2. (in direct address) sweetheart.
22.
sweets, pie, cake, candy, and other foods high in sugar content.
23.
Chiefly British.
  1. a piece of candy; sweetmeat or bonbon.
  2. a sweet dish or dessert, as a pudding or tart.
24.
something pleasant to the mind or feelings.
25.
a beloved person.
26.
(in direct address) darling; sweetheart.
Idioms
27.
sweet on, Informal. infatuated with; in love with:
He's sweet on her.
Origin
before 900; (adj. and adv.) Middle English swet(e), Old English swēte (adj.); (noun) Middle English swet(e), derivative of the adj.; cognate with Old Saxon swōti, Old High German swuozi (German süss); akin to Dutch zoet, Old Norse sætr, Gothic suts, Greek hēdýs sweet, Latin suādēre to recommend, suāvis pleasant
Related forms
sweetly, adverb
sweetness, noun
nonsweet, adjective
oversweet, adjective
oversweetly, adverb
oversweetness, noun
supersweet, adjective
supersweetly, adverb
supersweetness, noun
Can be confused
suite, sweet.
Synonyms
1. sugary. 5. melodious, mellifluous. 6. redolent, aromatic, scented. 8. winning, lovable, charming.

Sweet

[sweet] /swit/
noun
1.
Henry, 1845–1912, English philologist and linguist.
Examples from the web for sweet
  • The result is a rich contrast of sweet, savoury, and salty flavours.
  • Its small flowers have waxy white petals and sweet smelling aroma.
  • The dance form of jazz was characterized by a sweet and romantic melody.
  • Dryness is a property of alcoholic beverages that describes the lack of a sweet taste.
  • Cake is a form of food that is usually sweet and often baked.
  • Many wild and oldfashioned roses, by contrast, have a strong sweet scent.
  • Kaya is a sweet coconut and egg jam, and this is spread over toasted white bread.
  • Yam and sweet potato cubes served in coconut milk and sago, served hot or cold.
  • The plant tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell.
  • As research for the role sweet visited a psychiatrist to learn about manic depression.
British Dictionary definitions for sweet

sweet

/swiːt/
adjective
1.
having or denoting a pleasant taste like that of sugar
2.
agreeable to the senses or the mind: sweet music
3.
having pleasant manners; gentle: a sweet child
4.
(of wine, etc) having a relatively high sugar content; not dry
5.
(of foods) not decaying or rancid: sweet milk
6.
not salty: sweet water
7.
free from unpleasant odours: sweet air
8.
containing no corrosive substances: sweet soil
9.
(of petrol) containing no sulphur compounds
10.
sentimental or unrealistic
11.
individual; particular: the electorate went its own sweet way
12.
(jazz) performed with a regular beat, with the emphasis on clearly outlined melody and little improvisation
13.
(Austral, slang) satisfactory or in order; all right
14.
(archaic) respected; dear (used in polite forms of address): sweet sir
15.
smooth and precise; perfectly executed: a sweet shot
16.
sweet on, fond of or infatuated with
17.
keep someone sweet, to ingratiate oneself in order to ensure cooperation
adverb
18.
(informal) in a sweet manner
noun
19.
a sweet taste or smell; sweetness in general
20.
(often pl) (Brit) any of numerous kinds of confectionery consisting wholly or partly of sugar, esp of sugar boiled and crystallized (boiled sweets)
21.
(Brit) a pudding, fruit, or any sweet dish served as a dessert
22.
dear; sweetheart (used as a form of address)
23.
anything that is sweet
24.
(often pl) a pleasurable experience, state, etc: the sweets of success
25.
(US) See sweet potato
Derived Forms
sweetish, adjective
sweetly, adverb
sweetness, noun
Word Origin
Old English swēte; related to Old Saxon swōti, Old High German suozi, Old Norse sœtr, Latin suādus persuasive, suāvis sweet, Greek hēdus, Sanskrit svādu; see persuade, suave

Sweet

noun
1.
Henry. 1845–1912, English philologist; a pioneer of modern phonetics. His books include A History of English Sounds (1874)
Contemporary definitions for sweet
adjective

great; excellent

Examples

We're going out to dinner? Sweet!

Word Origin

1958

Usage Note

informal

Word Origin and History for sweet
adj.

Old English swete "pleasing to the senses, mind or feelings," from Proto-Germanic *swotijaz (cf. Old Saxon swoti, Swedish söt, Danish sød, Middle Dutch soete, Dutch zoet, Old High German swuozi, German süß), from PIE root *swad- "sweet, pleasant" (Sanskrit svadus "sweet;" Greek hedys "sweet, pleasant, agreeable," hedone "pleasure;" Latin suavis "sweet," suadere "to advise," properly "to make something pleasant to").

To be sweet on someone is first recorded 1690s. Sweet-talk (v.) dates from 1935; earliest uses seem to refer to conversation between black and white in segregated U.S. Sweet sixteen first recorded 1767. Sweet dreams as a parting to one going to sleep is attested from 1898, short for sweet dreams to you, etc. Sweet and sour in cooking is from 1723 and not originally of oriental food.

n.

c.1300, "something sweet to the taste," also "beloved one," from sweet (adj.); the meaning "candy drop" is 1851 (earlier sweetie, 1721).

Slang definitions & phrases for sweet

sweet

modifier

Great; excellent: sweet deal

Related Terms

blonde and sweet


Idioms and Phrases with sweet

sweet

also see: