swan

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[edit] English

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A swan.

[edit] Etymology

From Old English swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (thus cognate with Saxon swan), Old Norse svanr, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan), probably literally "the singing bird," from a Proto-Indo-European base *swon-/*swen- "to sing, make sound" (thus related to Old English geswin "melody, song" and swinsian "to make melody")

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

swan (plural swans)

  1. (plural also 'swan') Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus, most of which have white plumage.
  2. (figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

[edit] Verb

swan (third-person singular simple present swans, present participle swanning, simple past and past participle swanned)

  1. (UK) (intransitive) To travel from place to place with no fixed itinerary or purpose.
    • 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal
      He swans around that stinking office in his expensive clothes that are a little too tight for comfort, he swans around that stinking office without a care in the world.
  2. (originally New England, now Southern, Midwest US) Used with "I" in the first-person singular present tense as a minced oath for "I swear", an exclamation of surprise.
    • 1907 December, J. D. Archer, Foiling an eavesdropper, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345:
      "Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."

[edit] Usage notes

  • In the sense "to travel", usually used as part of the phrase "to swan about" or "to swan around".

[edit] Anagrams


[edit] Old English

[edit] Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *swanaz, whence also Old High German swan, Old Norse svanr

[edit] Noun

swan m.

  1. swan

[edit] Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *swainiz, whence also Old High German swein, Old Norse sveinn, English swain

[edit] Noun

swān m.

  1. lad

[edit] West Frisian

[edit] Noun

swan c.

  1. swan
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