swallow

swallow swal‧low [ˈswɒləʊ ǁ ˈswɑːloʊ] verb [transitive]

1. to accept something unpleasant:

• Car dealers are sceptical that customers will swallow the price increases.

2. if an activity swallows a lot of time or money, it takes that length of time or uses that amount of money:

• Development of the new model's engine will have swallowed at least six years and an estimated 6 billion kronor.

3. also swallow up if one organization or company swallows another, it takes control of it:

• Sony swallowed two U.S. entertainment giants.

• Interstate-banking regulations were changed, which led to hundreds of smaller banks being swallowed up.

* * *

swallow UK US /ˈswɒləʊ/ verb [T]

► (also swallow up) if an activity or process swallows or swallows up a lot of resources, it uses a lot of time, money, or people: »

The luxury brand swallowed over $3 billion in its first ten years of being taken over.

»

High house prices mean that a much larger percentage of a family's income is now being swallowed up by the mortgage.

► FINANCE if a company swallows or swallows up a smaller one, it buys it and makes it part of its own business: »

The small family firm was at risk of getting swallowed up by foreign competitors.

► INFORMAL to accept something without doubting or questioning it: »

The MP expenses scandal revealed abuses that the taxpayer could not swallow.