Revised as of
29 Dec 2022
Reading of a character sheathing his sword got me to wondering what the difference was between sheath and sheathe. Obviously there had to be a difference; why else would
both words exist?
It’s pretty simple. A sheath is a noun.
The action of using the sheath is a verb, to sheathe.
| Consider the following: | |
|---|---|
| His sword required a sheath.
He needed to put the knife into a casing. Probably didn’t want to stab himself. |
His sword required a sheathe.
Eeek. Sounds like that sword is alive and needed to drink . . . something . . . Blood, maybe? |
| Sheath those cables.
Hmmm, put a dress on them? Ooh, maybe make the cables into a sheath dress? |
Sheathe those cables.
Insulate those wires before they start a fire. |
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Sheath | Sheathe |
|---|---|
CNN’s Campbell Brown is JesseFRich’s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — A very simple red sheath. |
Sheathed is Popproject3’s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL license, via Wikimedia Commons. — A type of coaxial cable sheathed in a dielectric and metal layer. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Noun
Plural: sheaths |
Verb, transitive
Third person present verb: sheathes |
A close-fitting cover for something, especially something that is elongated in shape, in particular:
|
To put a sword, dagger, etc., into a close-fitting cover
To plunge a sword, dagger, etc., in something as if in a close-fitting cover To enclose in, or as if in, a casing or covering To cover or provide with a protective layer or sheathing To cover a cable, electrical connector, etc., with a metal close-fitting cover for grounding To withdraw a claw into a close-fitting cover |
| Examples: | |
| I’m so relieved we got those sheaths for the machetes.
The fatty sheath around nerve fibers works to protect those nerves. She wore a tight sheath of black and gold lurex. Start by peeling back the sheath on the wiring. A thin rubber sheath worn on a man’s penis during sexual intercourse as a contraceptive or as protection against infection is known as a condom. |
Joan of Arc sheathed her sword.
He plunged his sword into him as if sheathing it. She expertly sheathed his penis with a lamb intestine. They want to sheathe the roof with copper. You must sheathe electrical wires with an insulator. He breathed a sign of relief when the tiger sheathed its claws. Her legs were sheathed in black stockings. Shipbuilders sometimes sheathed a ship’s bottom with copper for extra protection from barnacles and other threats. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: sheathless Noun: sheathing |
|
| History of the Word: | |
| Old English scǣth, scēath meaning scabbard is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch schede and the German Scheide. | Its first known use was in the 15th century.
Late Middle English shethen from sheath. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Sheath versus Sheathe
Apple Dictionary.com
Pinterest Photo Credits
Kampilan Moro Sword with Sheath is Filhistorydotcom’s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL license, via Wikimedia Commons.
