• (RP) IPA: /swɒtʃ/
• (GA) IPA: /swɔtʃ/, /swɑtʃ/

swatch (plural swatches)

1. A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material#Noun|material.

   He held a swatch of the wallpaper up to see if the colors would match the room.

2. A selection of such samples bound together.
3. (figuratively) A clump or portion of something.
4. (figuratively) A demonstration, an example, a proof.
5. (Northern England, obsolete) A tag#Noun|tag or other small object attached to another item as a means of identifying its owner; a tally#Noun|tally; specifically the counterfoil of a tally.
   • circa 1512 “The Booke of All the Directions and Orders for Kepynge of My Lordes Hous Yerely. X. ITEM The Articles Howe the Clerks of the Kechinge and Clerks of the Brevements Shall Order Them aswell Conssernynge the Brevements as for Seynge to the Officers in their Officis to be Kept Daylye Weikely Monthely Quarterly Halff-Yerely and Yerely”, in The Regulations and Establishment of the Houshold of Henry Algernon Percy, the Fifth Earl of Northumberland, at His Castles of Wresill and Lekinfield in Yorkshire. Begun Anno Domini M.D. XII, London: [s.n.], published 1770, OCLC 228754820; republished in Francis Grose, Thomas Astle, and other eminent antiquaries, compilers, The Antiquarian Repertory: A Miscellaneous Assemblage of Topography, History, Biography, Customs, and Manners. Intended to Illustrate and Preserve Several Valuable Remains of Old Times. [...] In Four Volumes, volume IV, London: Printed for and published by Edward Jeffery, No. 11, Pall-Mall, 1809, OCLC 1867264, page 73 ↗:

     ITEM that the said Clerkis of the Brevements entre all the Taillis of the Furniunturs in the Jornall Booke in the Countynghous every day furthwith after the Brede be delyveret to the Pantre and then the Stoke [i.e., main part] of the Taill to by delyveret to the Baker and the Swache to the Pantler. [...] ITEM that the said Clerkis of the Brevements entre all the Taills of the Brasyantors in the Jornall Booke in the Countynghous at every tyme furthwith after the Bere be delyveret into the Buttry and then the Stoke of the Taill to be delyveret to the Brewar and the Swatche to the Butler.

   • [1724, N[athan] Bailey, “A SWACHE ↗”, in An Universal Etymological English Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, London: Printed for E. Bell, J. Darby, […], OCLC 819943732 ↗:

     A SWACHE, A Tally. [[north country|N[orth] C[ountry]]]]

• French: motif, échantillon
• Portuguese: amostra
• Russian: образе́ц
• Spanish: trozo, muestra

swatch (swatches, present participle swatching; past and past participle swatched)

1. To create a swatch, especially a sample of knitted fabric.

   Swatching is important in knitting to obtain the correct gauge.

swatch (plural swatches)

1. (UK) A channel#Noun|channel or passage of water between sandbanks, or between a sandbank and a seashore.

1. A brand of relatively cheap Swiss analog watches