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5 ADJ If you describe something such as air or water as sweet , you mean that it smells or tastes pleasantly fresh and clean. □  I gulped a breath of sweet air.

6 ADJ A sweet sound is pleasant, smooth, and gentle. □  Her voice was as soft and sweet as a young girl's. □  …the sweet sounds of Mozart. ●  sweet|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □  He sang much more sweetly than he has before.

7 ADJ If you describe something as sweet , you mean that it gives you great pleasure and satisfaction. [WRITTEN ] □  There are few things quite as sweet as revenge.

8 ADJ If you describe someone as sweet , you mean that they are pleasant, kind, and gentle towards other people. □  How sweet of you to think of me! ●  sweet|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □  I just smiled sweetly and said no.

9 ADJ If you describe a small person or thing as sweet , you mean that they are attractive in a simple or unsophisticated way. [INFORMAL ] □  …a sweet little baby girl. □  The house was really sweet.

10 → see also sweetly , sweetness

11a sweet tooth → see tooth

swee t and sou r also sweet-and-sour ADJ [ADJ n] Sweet and sour is used to describe Chinese food that contains both a sweet flavour and something sharp or sour such as lemon or vinegar.

sweet|bread /swiː tbred/ (sweetbreads ) N‑COUNT Sweetbreads are meat obtained from the pancreas of a calf or a lamb.

sweet|corn /swiː tkɔ ^r n/ also sweet corn N‑UNCOUNT Sweetcorn is a long rounded vegetable covered in small yellow seeds. It is part of the maize plant. The seeds themselves can also be referred to as sweetcorn .

sweet|en /swiː t ^ə n/ (sweetens , sweetening , sweetened )

1 VERB If you sweeten food or drink, you add sugar, honey, or another sweet substance to it. □ [V n] He liberally sweetened his coffee. □ [V n + with ] The Australians fry their bananas and sweeten them with honey.

2 VERB If you sweeten something such as an offer or a business deal, you try to make someone want it more by improving it or by increasing the amount you are willing to pay. □ [V n] They may have to sweeten the deal to keep investors on board.

sweet|en|er /swiː tənə ^r / (sweeteners )

1 N‑VAR Sweetener is an artificial substance that can be used in drinks instead of sugar.

2 N‑COUNT A sweetener is something that you give or offer someone in order to persuade them to accept an offer or business deal.

sweet|heart /swiː thɑː ^r t/ (sweethearts )

1 N‑COUNT You call someone sweetheart if you are very fond of them. □  Happy birthday, sweetheart.

2 N‑COUNT Your sweetheart is your boyfriend or your girlfriend. [JOURNALISM , OLD-FASHIONED ] □  I married Shurla, my childhood sweetheart, in Liverpool.

sweetie /swiː ti/ (sweeties )

1 N‑COUNT You can call someone sweetie if you are fond of them, especially if they are younger than you. [INFORMAL ]

2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a sweetie , you mean that they are kind and nice. [INFORMAL ]

3 N‑COUNT Sweets are sometimes referred to as sweeties by children or by adults speaking to children. [BRIT ]

sweet|ish /swiː t I ʃ/ ADJ A sweetish smell or taste is fairly sweet.

sweet|ly /swiː tli/

1 ADV [ADV with v] If an engine or machine is running sweetly , it is working smoothly and efficiently. □  He heard the car engine running sweetly beyond the open door.

2 ADV [ADV with v] If you kick or hit a ball sweetly , you kick or hit it in the very middle of it so that it goes firmly and accurately to the place you are aiming for. □  He could strike the ball as sweetly as when he was 28 years younger.

3 → see also sweet

sweet|meat /swiː tmiːt/ (sweetmeats ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Sweetmeats are sweet items of food, especially ones that are considered special. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

sweet|ness /swiː tnəs/