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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | swætan, from swat 'sweat' (noun) |
Related topics:1 to have drops of salty liquid coming out through your skin because you are hot, ill, frightened, or doing exercise [= perspire]: 
I was sweating a lot despite the air-conditioning.
liquid from skin
[intransitive]
I was sweating a lot despite the air-conditioning.2 to work hard : They sweated and saved for ten years to buy a house.
work
[intransitive] informalThey sweated and saved for ten years to buy a house. sweat blood/sweat your guts out (=work very hard) I sweated blood to get that report finished. We've been sweating our guts out here!
I sweated blood to get that report finished.We've been sweating our guts out here!3 to be anxious, nervous, or worried about something : Let them sweat a bit before you tell them.
worry
[intransitive] informalLet them sweat a bit before you tell them. sweat bullets American English (=be very anxious) Workers are sweating bullets over the possibility of job losses.
Workers are sweating bullets over the possibility of job losses.4 used to tell someone not to worry about something : Don't sweat it, I'll lend you the money.
don't sweat it
American English spokenDon't sweat it, I'll lend you the money.5 used to tell someone not to worry about unimportant things
don't sweat the small stuff
American English spoken6 if something such as cheese sweats, fat from inside appears on its surface
produce liquid
[intransitive]7 to heat food gently in a little water or fat : Sweat the vegetables until the juices run out.
cook
[transitive] British EnglishDFCSweat the vegetables until the juices run out.sweat something ↔ off
phrasal verbsweat something ↔ out
phrasal verb1 to wait anxiously for news that is very important to you :
2 American English to work very hard on something, especially something difficult : kids sweating out a test
kids sweating out a test3 to do hard physical exercise : They were sweating it out in the gym.
They were sweating it out in the gym.4MI to get rid of an illness by making yourself sweat a lot
