swim
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English swimmen, from Old English swimman (“to swim, float”) (class III strong verb; past tense swamm, past participle geswummen), from Proto-Germanic *swimmaną (“to swoon, lose consciousness, swim”). Cognate with West Frisian swimme (“to swim, float”), Dutch zwemmen (“to swim”), German schwimmen (“to swim”), Danish svømme (“to swim”), Swedish simma (“to swim”).
Pronunciation [edit]
Verb [edit]
swim (third-person singular simple present swims, present participle swimming, simple past swam or (archaic) swum, past participle swum)
- (intransitive, archaic) To float.
- And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. —2 Kings 6:6 (KJV).
- Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up and all is on the hazard. —Wm. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
- (intransitive) To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
- (transitive) To traverse (a specific body of water, or a specific distance) by swimming; or, to utilize a specific swimming stroke; or, to compete in a specific swimming event.
- He will attempt to swim the channel.
- For exercise, we like to swim laps around the pool.
- I want to swim the 200-yard breaststroke in the finals.
- (uncommon) To cause to swim.
- Half of the guinea pigs were swum daily.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
move through water
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Noun [edit]
swim (plural swims)
- An act or instance of swimming.
- I'm going for a swim.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
act or instance of swimming
