Definition of "sheathe"
sheathe
verb
third-person singular simple present sheathes, present participle sheathing, simple past and past participle sheathed
(transitive) To put (something such as a knife or sword) into a sheath.
Quotations
Sheath your Dagger: / Be angry when you will, it ſhall haue ſcope: [...]
1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii], page 125, column 1
Thy Chamber with Ambroſiall odors breatheth, / New loues and true loues vnto them that entreateth, / And furious Mars made milde his Faulcheon ſheatheth / At thy delicious aſpect: [...]
1607, [Barnabe Barnes], The Divils Charter: A Tragædie Conteining the Life and Death of Pope Alexander the Sixt. […], London: Printed by G[eorge] E[ld] for Iohn Wright, […], Act III, scene ii
Be aware of the smiling enemy, that openly sheatheth his weapon, / But mingleth poison in secret with the sacred salt of hospitality.
1838, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Of Searching for Pride”, in Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, London: Joseph Rickerby, […], page 69
Ke okakla foo le, obon oke-woo. If thy knife cut thee thou sheathest it. N.B.—Meaning thou dost not cast it away.
1865, “Proverbs in the Ga or Accra Language”, in Richard F[rancis] Burton, compiler, Wit and Wisdom from West Africa; or A Book of Proverbial Philosophy, Idioms, Enigmas, and Laconisms, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], number 190, page 169
(transitive) To encase (something) with a protective covering.
Quotations
A chearful heart does good like a medicine, but envy corrodes like a poiſon; it is ſo ſharp, that it cuts the body which ſheathes it.
1765, Edward Young, “A Vindication of Providence: Or, A True Measure of Human Life. In which the Passions are Considered in a New Light.”, in The Works in Prose, of the Reverend Edward Young, LL.D. […], London: Printed for P. Brown, H. Hill, and S. Payne, page 239
When thou sheathest thy glances in thy eyelids, they inflict deadly wounds: what must they be when thou drawest them from their scabbards!
1843, Ibn Khallikan, quoting Najm ad-din Mûsa al-Kamrâwi, “Abu ’l-Hasan al-Husri”, in [William] Mac Gukin de Slane, transl., Ibn Khallikan’s Biographical Dictionary: Translated from the Arabic (Oriental Translation Fund; no. 59), volume I, Paris: Printed for the Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland; sold by Benjamin Duprat, […] and Allen and Co, […], page 243
(transitive) Of an animal: to draw back or retract (a body part) into the body, such as claws into a paw.
Quotations
So when the gen'rous Lyon has in ſight / His equal match, he rouſes for the fight; / But when his foe lyes proſtrate on the plain, / He ſheaths his paws, uncurls his angry mane; / And, plea'd with bloudleſs honours of the day, / Walks over, and diſdains th' inglorious Prey, [...]
1687, [John Dryden], “The Third Part”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], page 88
(transitive, dated or literary, poetic, figuratively) To thrust (a sharp object like a sword, a claw, or a tusk) into something.
Quotations
Nay, neuer beare me hence, diſpatch me heere: / Here ſheath thy Sword, Ile pardon thee my death: [...]
c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene v], page 171, column 1
[T]hey who either thro Hatred, or Ambition, or Covetouſneſs, do fight with evil Men, and ſo kill one another, fight not under the Banner of Chriſt, but the Devil; ſhewing [...] how difficult for ſuch to be in Charity (without which no Man ſhall ſee God) who ſheathe their Swords in their Brethens Bowels.
1708, Erasmus Roterodamus, “ The Life of Dr. Colet.”, in [John Dunton], editor, The Second Volume of The Phenix: Or, A Revival of Scarce and Valuable Pieces No Where to be Found but in the Closets of the Curious. […], volume II, number Phenix XVII, London: Printed for J[ohn] Morphew […], § 29, page 25
(transitive, obsolete) To provide (a sword, etc.) with a sheath.
Quotations
Nathaniels coate ſir was not fully made, / And Gabrels pumpes were all vnpinkt i'th heele: / There was no Linke to colour Peters hat, / And Walters dagger was not come from ſheathing: [...]
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i], page 221, column 2
(transitive, medicine, obsolete) To relieve the harsh or painful effect of (a drug, a poison, etc.).
Quotations
Theſe ſmooth and oily Med'cines act by ſheathing acrimonious Salts in the Blood, and preventing Inconveniences from 'em; and by relaxing the Fibres, and hence widening 'em. [...] [They] are convenient in Coughs, from thin and ſharp Rheums, becauſe they ſheathe the Salts that gall the Lungs.
1716, John Radcliffe, “[An Appendix to Dr. Radcliffe’s Recipe’s.] Ramose, Flexile, Smooth Medicines. [Observations.]”, in Pharmacopoeia Radcliffeana: Or, Dr. Radcliff’s Prescriptions, Faithfully Gather’d from His Original Recipes. […], 2nd corrected edition, London: Printed for Charles Rivington, […], pages 540 and 541
He concludes this Diſſertation, by endeavouring to explain the Manner of its [olive oil's] operating, which he attributes to its fat inviſcating Nature, whereby it ſheathes the Spicula of the Poiſon.
1738 December, C. Mortimer, “VI. An Abstract by C. Mortimer, M.D. Secr[etary of the] R[oyal] S[ociety] of an Inaugural Dissertation Published at Wittemberg 1736. by Dr. Abraham Vater, F.R.S. Concerning the Cure of the Bite of a Viper, Cured by Sallad-oil.”, in Philosophical Transactions. Giving Some Account of the Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours, of the Ingenious, in Many Considerable Parts of the World, volume XXXIX, number 451, London: Printed for T. Woodward, […] ; and C. Davis […] ; printers to the Royal Society, page 443
Comfry Root (Symphytum) is a principal Vulnerary; it is very mucilaginous and thickening, its clammy Juice ſheathes the Sharpneſs of the Humours; [...]
1747, Tho[mas] Short, Medicina Britannica: Or A Treatise on Such Physical Plants, as are Generally to be Found in the Fields and Gardens in Great-Britain: Containing a Particular Account of Their Nature, Virtues, and Uses. […], 2nd edition, London: Printed for R. Manby and H. Shute Cox, […], paragraph 73, page 66