/ swiːt; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
( sweet·er , sweet·est )
FOOD / DRINK
1.
containing, or tasting as if it contains, a lot of sugar :
a cup of hot sweet tea
sweet food
I had a craving for something sweet.
This wine is too sweet for me.
—compare bitter , salty
OPP sour
SMELL
2.
having a pleasant smell
SYN fragrant :
a sweet-smelling rose
The air was sweet with incense.
SOUND
3.
having a pleasant sound :
a sweet voice
PURE
4.
pleasant and not containing any harmful substances :
the sweet air of a mountain village
SATISFYING
5.
making you feel happy and/or satisfied :
Goodnight. Sweet dreams .
I can't tell you how sweet this victory is.
ATTRACTIVE
6.
( especially BrE ) ( especially of children or small things ) attractive
SYN cute :
His sister's a sweet young thing.
You look sweet in this photograph.
We stayed in a sweet little hotel on the seafront.
KIND
7.
having or showing a kind character :
She gave him her sweetest smile.
It was sweet of them to offer to help.
GOOD
8.
Sweet! ( NAmE , informal ) used to show that you approve of sth :
Free tickets? Sweet!
•
IDIOMS
- be sweet on sb
- have a sweet tooth
- in your own sweet time / way
- keep sb sweet
- she's sweet
- sweet FA | sweet Fanny Adams
- sweet nothings
- the sweet smell of success
—more at home noun , rose noun , short adjective
■ noun
FOOD
1.
[ C ] ( BrE ) a small piece of sweet food, usually made with sugar and/or chocolate and eaten between meals
SYN candy :
a packet of boiled sweets
a sweet shop
2.
[ C , U ] ( BrE ) a sweet dish eaten at the end of a meal
SYN afters , dessert , pudding :
I haven't made a sweet today.
Would you like some more sweet?
PERSON
3.
[ U ] ( old-fashioned ) a way of addressing sb that you like or love :
Don't you worry, my sweet.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English swēte , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zoet , German süss , from an Indo-European root shared by Latin suavis and Greek hēdus .