swamp

/ˈswɒmp/

Etymology

Early attestations (starting in 1624) are from North America, but the term was probably in local use in Britain earlier. The etymology is not entirely certain; it is probably a fusion of Middle English swam (“swamp, muddy pool, bog, marsh”, also “fungus, mushroom”) — from Old English swamm (“mushroom, fungus, sponge”), from Proto-West Germanic *swamm, from Proto-Germanic *swambaz, *swammaz — and Middle English sompe (“marsh, morass”), from either Middle Dutch somp, sump (“marsh, swamp”) or Middle Low German sump (“marsh, swamp”) (from Old Saxon *sump (“swamp, marsh”)), both from Proto-West Germanic *sump, from Proto-Germanic *sumpaz. *Swambaz, *swammaz and *sumpaz are likely related to each other, but it is unclear whether they are of Indo-European origin or are substrate words or wanderwo

swamp means an area of wet (water-saturated), spongy (soft) land, often with trees, generally a rich ecosystem for certain plants and animals but ill-suited for many agricultural purposes. (A type of wetland. Compare marsh, bog, fen.). Lexicurio rates it Distinctive — a strength score of 69 out of 100.

noun

An area of wet (water-saturated), spongy (soft) land, often with trees, generally a rich ecosystem for certain plants and animals but ill-suited for many agricultural purposes. (A type of wetland. Compare marsh, bog, fen.)“Some small Marshes and Swamps there are, but more profitable than hurtfull.”
A place or situation that is foul or where progress is difficult.“We two...in this swamp of iniquity...together we can bring redress to an unjust world.”
The alleged corruption, cronyism, inefficiency, and entrenched interests in the federal government, especially in Washington, DC.“On InfoWars, Alex Jones told his audience, "This is over the top sickening. Next they'll say Jeffrey Epstein never even existed. This is the swamp winning. No one is buying this."”

verb

To drench or fill with water.“The boat was swamped in the storm.”
To overwhelm; to make too busy, or overrun the capacity of.“I have been swamped with paperwork ever since they started using the new system.”
To plunge into difficulties and perils; to overwhelm; to ruin; to wreck.“The Whig majority of the house of Lords was swamped by the creation of twelve Tory peers.”
To clear (a road or an area) of brush, particularly so as to create a path for loggers to be able to access trees.“Nothing to it but clearing out underbrush and limbs so teams can get to the logs. […] If anyone asks, just tell him you've swamped roads ever since you was big enough to lift a hatchet.”