Dictionary

swarm en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /swɔːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /swɔɹm/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm (“swarm, multitude”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarm, from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz (“swarm, dizziness”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to buzz, hum”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Swoorm (“swarm”), Dutch zwerm, German Schwarm, Danish sværm, Swedish svärm, Icelandic svarmur (“tumult, swarm”), Latin susurrus (“whispering, humming”), Lithuanian surma (“a pipe”), Russian свире́ль (svirélʹ, “a pipe, reed”). The verb is from Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swirman (“to swarm”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarmijan, from Proto-Germanic *swarmijaną (“to swarm”), from the noun. Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm (“to swarm”), Dutch zwermen, German schwärmen, Danish sværme, Swedish svärma.

Meanings

1. (collective) A large number of insects or other bugs (e.g. centipedes), especially when in motion or (for bees) migrating to a new colony.
   • […] reſtleſs thoughts, that like a deadly ſwarm / Of Hornets arm'd […] ruſh upon me thronging, 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 10, lines 19–21:
2. A mass of people, animals or things in motion or turmoil.
   • those prodigious swarms that had settled themselves in every part of it [Italy] 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
   • a swarm of meteorites
3. A group of nodes sharing the same torrent in a BitTorrent network.
4. A number of small earthquakes (or other seismic events) occurring, with no clear cause, in a specific area within a relatively short space of time.
   • Earthquakes were another concern, particularly after swarms were felt in Oklahoma. 2020, Daniel Yergin, The New Map, Penguin, published 2021, page 28:

Forms

Deriveds

swarmy · multiswarm · beswarm · beeswarm · swarm intelligence · Dyson swarm · dyke swarm · topswarm · aswarm · nanoswarm · swarm spore · subswarm · superswarm · afterswarm · swarm plot

Translations (136)

fr essaim (large number of insects) · pl chmara (large number of insects) · gl enxame (large number of insects) · orv рои (large number of insects) · pl rój (large number of insects) · frp èssem (large number of insects) · grc σμῆνος (large number of insects) · fr essaim (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · gl barafunda (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · nb bisverm (large number of insects) · de Schwarm (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · fur scuam (large number of insects) · pt correição (large number of insects) · ga scaoth (large number of insects) · ja 群れ (large number of insects) · es nube (large number of insects) · gd sgaoth (large number of insects) · ru толпа́ (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sh rȏj (large number of insects) · fa-ira اِزْدِحام (large number of insects) · io esamo (large number of insects) · nn bisverm (large number of insects) · hu horda (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · fa-ira اِزْدِحام (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · vec same (large number of insects) · fr grouillement (large number of insects) · bg рой (large number of insects) · et pilv (large number of insects) · es aglomeración (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sl roj (large number of insects) · sk roj (large number of insects) · el εσμός (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · mk рој (large number of insects) · vec samo (large number of insects) · dsb roj (large number of insects) · cs hejno (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · fr nuée (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pt multidão (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · nl zwerm (large number of insects) · ca eixam (large number of insects) · sv vimmel (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pt enxame (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pdt Schwoarm (large number of insects) · scn sciamu (large number of insects) · bg ста́до (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · gd sgaoth (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sv svärm (large number of insects) · cs dav (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · ka ნაყარი (large number of insects) · ta திரள் (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pt barafunda (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · ko 무리 (large number of insects) · fi lauma (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sh ро̑ј (large number of insects) · ota اوغل (large number of insects) · ota كومه (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · mi pōī (large number of insects) · ga saithe (large number of insects) · scn assamu (large number of insects) · es muchedumbre (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · be рой (large number of insects) · lv spiets (large number of insects) · ar اِزْدِحَام (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · nn sverm (large number of insects) · ja 雲霞 (large number of insects) · pt nuvem (large number of insects) · ru ста́я (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · es multitud (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · ro roi (large number of insects) · cs roj (large number of insects) · fi parvi (large number of insects) · et parv (large number of insects) · nl menigte (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · nb sverm (large number of insects) · cs houf (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · gd sluagh (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · uz uya (large number of insects) · ota قالابالق (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · es enjambre (large number of insects) · pl mrowie (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · vo kümam (large number of insects) · hu raj (large number of insects) · he נְחִיל (large number of insects) · it sciame (large number of insects) · hrx Schwaarem (large number of insects) · lt spiečius (large number of insects) · pt turbilhão (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · es barahúnda (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sw jana (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · sq shemë (large number of insects) · lt būrys (large number of insects) · sq luzmë (large number of insects) · cmn 群 (large number of insects) · uk юрба́ (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · el στίφος (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · kk үйір (large number of insects) · de Schwarm (large number of insects) · cy haid (large number of insects) · af swerm (large number of insects) · tr sürü (large number of insects) · es masa (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · gl liorna (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pt turba (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · uk на́товп (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · mpi mam (large number of insects) · ru рой (large number of insects) · nl massa (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · oc eissam (large number of insects) · da sværm (large number of insects) · lt spiečius (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · grc ἑσμός (large number of insects) · ar ثَوْل (large number of insects) · da sværm (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · hy պարս (large number of insects) · pt roda-viva (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · bg роя́к (large number of insects) · sc schissura (large number of insects) · pt enxame (large number of insects) · kk шоғыр (large number of insects) · zlw-ocs roj (large number of insects) · it nugolo (large number of insects) · el όχλος (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · ko 떼 (large number of insects) · sw jana (large number of insects) · uk рій (large number of insects) · ast ensame (large number of insects) · sv myller (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · el σμήνος (large number of insects) · pt tropel (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · ja 群衆 (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · pt turbamulta (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · la exāmen (large number of insects) · cs zástup (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · tr oğul (large number of insects) · hu sokaság (a mass of people or animals in turmoil) · lv pulciņš (large number of insects)

swarm en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /swɔːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /swɔɹm/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm (“swarm, multitude”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarm, from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz (“swarm, dizziness”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to buzz, hum”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Swoorm (“swarm”), Dutch zwerm, German Schwarm, Danish sværm, Swedish svärm, Icelandic svarmur (“tumult, swarm”), Latin susurrus (“whispering, humming”), Lithuanian surma (“a pipe”), Russian свире́ль (svirélʹ, “a pipe, reed”). The verb is from Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swirman (“to swarm”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarmijan, from Proto-Germanic *swarmijaną (“to swarm”), from the noun. Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm (“to swarm”), Dutch zwermen, German schwärmen, Danish sværme, Swedish svärma.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To move as a swarm.
   • When I was there, at about 0200 this morning [15 May], hundreds of students had swarmed up the steps of the Great Hall and sat there making political speeches. Troops were moved in, 100 or so filed out of the hall and drove the students back, but they were extremely gentle, saying xiexie, xiexie, thank you, thank you, and the relations seemed to be extremely good; I don't think that there is anything the authorities can do now to get them off even though they have said the square will be closed to pedestrians. 1989 May 15 [1989 May 14], Tim Luard, quotee, “Split Between Students Reported”, in Daily Report: China, number 092, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, sourced from Hong Kong Domestic Service, From the "Hong Kong Today" Program—live telephone interview by anchorman Nick Bailey with Beijing correspondent Tim Luard, →ISSN, →OCLC, National Affairs, page 43, column 2:
   • There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. Mail bags, so I understand, are being put on board. Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors. 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
2. (intransitive) To teem, or be overrun with insects, people, etc.
   • Every place swarming with soldiers. 1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC:
3. (transitive) To fill a place as a swarm.
   • All is well until Treorchy, where the platform is swamped by teenagers who have been attending an event. Around four dozen unescorted 12 to 16 year-olds swarm aboard and begin to run riot through the train. Their behaviour is appalling and the presence of CCTV no deterrent. 2024 November 13, Paul Bigland, “Much to admire... but pockets of neglect”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 48:
4. (transitive) To overwhelm as by an opposing army.
   • So, yeah. The overall conclusion of the big gunfight being that, if Yamato is able to tackle the Colorados early, then the Japanese probably have a, maybe a sixty-to-sixty-five-percent chance of pulling this off... although you say "pulling it off", it's more a case of "the Japanese are the last battleship standing"; they tend to then just get swarmed by angry Fletchers[…] 2019 March 6, Drachinifel, 37:59 from the start, in The Battle of Samar (Alternate History) - Bring on the Battleships!, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2022:
5. To climb by gripping with arms and legs alternately.
   • At the top was placed a piece of money, as a prize for those who could swarm up and seize it. 1784, William Coxe, Travels into Poland, Russia, Sweden and Denmark:
   • She called out, and a boy came running along. He swarmed up a tree, and presently threw down a ripe nut. Ata pierced a hole in it, and the doctor took a long, refreshing draught. 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 55”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
6. To breed multitudes.
   • Not ſo thick ſwarm'd once the Soil / Bedropt with blood of Gorgon, 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 526–527:

Forms

Deriveds

outswarm · swarmer · overswarm · upswarm

Synonyms

horde

Translations (62)

es enjambrar (to move as a swarm) · id kerumun (to move as a swarm) · sl rojiti (to move as a swarm) · bg гъмжа (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · es pulular (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · wa samer (to move as a swarm) · fi parveilla (to overwhelm) · cs rojit se (to move as a swarm) · cs šplhat (to climb by gripping with arms and legs) · cs hemžit se (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · mhr авалаш (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · es atestar (to fill a place as a swarm) · es infestar (to fill a place as a swarm) · ru кише́ть (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · id mengagas (to move as a swarm) · pt infestar (to fill a place as a swarm) · fi vyöryä (to move as a swarm) · ca eixamenar-se (to move as a swarm) · hu rajzik (to move as a swarm) · pt pulular (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · ru кишеть (to fill a place as a swarm) · hy վխտալ (to fill a place as a swarm) · mi ngahue (to fill a place as a swarm) · cs hemžit se (to move as a swarm) · hy վխտալ (to move as a swarm) · mi ngahua (to fill a place as a swarm) · it pullulare (to move as a swarm) · ca pul·lular (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · nl zwermen (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · it pullulare (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · hy վխտալ (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · mi pōhūhū (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · mi ngahua (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · cmn 蜂擁 /蜂拥 (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · cs hrnout se (to move as a swarm) · uk киші́ти (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · es hormiguear (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · fi vyöryä sisään (to fill a place as a swarm) · pt fervilhar (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · hu hemzseg (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · fr essaimer (to move as a swarm) · mi rearea (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · nds-de swarmen (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · mhr авалаш (to fill a place as a swarm) · cs být plný (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · fi kiivetä nelinkontin (to climb by gripping with arms and legs) · it sciamare (to move as a swarm) · ru кишеть (to move as a swarm) · mi ngahue (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · ru кара́бкаться (to climb by gripping with arms and legs) · la exāminō (to move as a swarm) · hu mászik (to climb by gripping with arms and legs) · sl rojiti (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · mhr авалаш (to move as a swarm) · hu elözönöl (to fill a place as a swarm) · ru роиться (to move as a swarm) · mi tāmuimui (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · pt enxamear (to move as a swarm) · cmn 翃 (to teem, or be overrun with insects) · oc essaimar (to move as a swarm) · mi rearea (to fill a place as a swarm) · mi pūrau (to teem, or be overrun with insects)