sweats
sweats Lexical Profile
sweats Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To excrete moisture or perspiration through the pores of the skin as a result of heat, physical exertion, fever, or fear (third-person singular present of 'sweat').
"He always sweats heavily when running outdoors during the humid summer months."
To worry, fret, or feel intense anxiety about a situation or detail (third-person singular present of 'sweat').
"A seasoned project manager rarely sweats the minor scheduling delays that happen early in development."
To heat finely chopped vegetables gently in a small amount of fat over low heat so that they soften and release their moisture without browning (third-person singular present of 'sweat').
"The chef sweats the diced onions and celery in butter before adding the stock to the soup pot."
• noun
Loose, comfortable athletic clothing made of thick cotton jersey or fleece, specifically sweatpants or a matching tracksuit worn for exercise or lounging.
"After a long day at the office, she immediately changed into her favorite gray sweats to relax on the couch."
A condition or sudden spell of profuse perspiration, typically brought on by fever, illness, physical withdrawal, or acute anxiety (usually preceded by 'the').
"The patient woke up in the middle of the night experiencing chills and the sweats as the fever broke."
Players in a competitive game, especially a video game, who try excessively hard to win and display intense, hyper-focused effort (slang).
"The casual lobby quickly became frustrating once a team of high-level sweats joined the match."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an independent plural noun ('sweats'), it most commonly serves as a casual clipping for sweatpants or a tracksuit, whereas 'the sweats' refers to a sudden bout of heavy perspiration caused by illness, fever, or anxiety.
• Rhymes for sweats
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the base noun 'sweat' (from Old English 'swat', meaning perspiration), with the clothing sense emerging in early 20th-century American English as a shortened plural form of 'sweatpants' and 'sweatshirt'.