I. ˈswȯ(ə)rd, -ȯ(ə)d noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sweard, swearth skin, hide, rind; akin to Old Frisian swarde scalp, Middle Dutch swaerde skin, hide, Middle High German swart skin, hide, fur, rind, Welsh gweryd sward, earth, soil, Old Irish feronn, ferann land, field, Latin op erire to cover — more at weir
1. archaic : skin , rind
2.
a.
(1) : the grassy surface of land : the part of the soil which is filled with the roots of grass : turf , sod
(2) : a portion of ground covered with sward : greensward
b. : a growth or structure (as reindeer moss or a fungus) that resembles sward
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to produce sward upon : cover with sward