1. The bird:
* "The swallow flew over the field." Here, "swallow" refers to the bird species.
2. The act of swallowing:
* "The doctor asked me to take a swallow of water." This uses "swallow" to describe the act of taking something into your mouth and sending it down your throat.
3. A small drink:
* "He took a quick swallow of his coffee." This is a more informal way of referring to a small drink, often used when describing a quick drink.
4. A type of sailboat:
* "The swallow is a type of small, fast sailboat." This is a more specific use of the word, referring to a particular type of boat.
So, the word "swallow" can be a noun depending on the context and what it's referring to.