From Middle English swymmen, from Old English swimman (“to swim, float”) (class III strong verb; past tense swamm, past participle geswummen), from Proto-West Germanic *swimman, from Proto-Germanic *swimmaną (“to swim”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to be unsteady, move, swim”).
Cognates
Cognate with North Frisian sweem, swome, swume, swumi, swumme, swääm (“to swim”), Saterland Frisian and West Frisian swimme (“to swim”), Dutch zwemmen (“to swim”), German schwimmen (“to swim”), Limburgish schwämme, zwömme (“to swim”), Low German swimmen (“to swim”), Luxembourgish schwammen (“to swim”), Vilamovian švymma, śwyma, śwymma (“to swim”), Yiddish שווימען (shvimen, “to swim”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål svømme (“to swim”), Faroese svimja (“to swim”), Norn suma (“to swim”), Norwegian Nynorsk svemja, svemje, svømma, svømme, symja, symje (“to swim”), Swedish simma (“to swim”).
Meanings
An act or instance of swimming.
She had a quick swim in the bay.
I'm going for a swim.
The sound, or air bladder, of a fish.
(UK) A part of a stream much frequented by fish.
A dance or dance move of the 1960s in which the arms are moved in imitation of various swimming strokes, such as freestyle, breaststroke, etc.
C'mon everybody! C'mon in!
Bobby's goin' to show you how to do the swim. 1964, “C'mon and Swim”, Thomas Coman and Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone) (lyrics), performed by Bobby Freeman:
(figuratively) The flow of events; being in the swim of things.
With the road ahead now clear, Mann […] is plunging back into the swim of business in a hurry. 1948 September 18, Billboard, page 104:
ce нека (act or instance of swimming) · sk plávanie (act or instance of swimming) · ce лийчар (act or instance of swimming) · te ఈత (act or instance of swimming) · ga snámh (act or instance of swimming) · hi तैराकी (act or instance of swimming) · cic yopichi (act or instance of swimming) · hy լող (act or instance of swimming) · es natación (act or instance of swimming) · ja 泳ぎ (act or instance of swimming) · it nuotata (act or instance of swimming) · ar سِبَاحَة (act or instance of swimming) · cs plavání (act or instance of swimming) · cic ok-aayopi (act or instance of swimming) · ca natació (act or instance of swimming) · ota یوزمه (act or instance of swimming) · el κολύμβηση (act or instance of swimming) · it nuoto (act or instance of swimming) · ar سَبْحَة (act or instance of swimming) · izh ujukki (act or instance of swimming) · ml നീന്തൽ (act or instance of swimming) · fr natation (act or instance of swimming) · fi uinti (act or instance of swimming) · hu úszás (act or instance of swimming) · sv simtur (act or instance of swimming) · de Schwimmen (act or instance of swimming) · mi kauanga (act or instance of swimming) · io nato (act or instance of swimming) · bg плу́ване (act or instance of swimming) · nb svømmetur (act or instance of swimming) · el μπάνιο (act or instance of swimming) · nl zwemmen (act or instance of swimming) · pt nado (act or instance of swimming) · hi तैरना (act or instance of swimming) · sl plavanje (act or instance of swimming) · la natātiō (act or instance of swimming) · da svømmetur (act or instance of swimming) · fa شنا (act or instance of swimming) · ja 水泳 (act or instance of swimming) · ru плыть (act or instance of swimming) · is sund (act or instance of swimming) · bcl langoy (act or instance of swimming) · cic yopi (act or instance of swimming) · tr yüzme (act or instance of swimming) · or ପହଁରା (act or instance of swimming)
From Middle English swymmen, from Old English swimman (“to swim, float”) (class III strong verb; past tense swamm, past participle geswummen), from Proto-West Germanic *swimman, from Proto-Germanic *swimmaną (“to swim”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to be unsteady, move, swim”).
Cognates
Cognate with North Frisian sweem, swome, swume, swumi, swumme, swääm (“to swim”), Saterland Frisian and West Frisian swimme (“to swim”), Dutch zwemmen (“to swim”), German schwimmen (“to swim”), Limburgish schwämme, zwömme (“to swim”), Low German swimmen (“to swim”), Luxembourgish schwammen (“to swim”), Vilamovian švymma, śwyma, śwymma (“to swim”), Yiddish שווימען (shvimen, “to swim”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål svømme (“to swim”), Faroese svimja (“to swim”), Norn suma (“to swim”), Norwegian Nynorsk svemja, svemje, svømma, svømme, symja, symje (“to swim”), Swedish simma (“to swim”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
He turned back to the scene before him and the enormous new block of council dwellings. The design was some way after Corbusier but the block was built up on plinths and resembled an Atlantic liner swimming diagonally across the site. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
Meanwhile, NR faced an unexpected challenge when a night watchman spotted several Koi Carp swimming in floodwater close to the railway, after they had escaped from a nearby private residence. Wilson says the owner was eventually traced, and the fish were safely returned "after enjoying swimming around in a 3,000-acre lake". 2020 May 20, Paul Stephen, “NR beats floods to secure tracks to Drax”, in Rail, page 59:
We were now all upon a Level, as to our travelling; being unshipp’d, for our Bark would swim no farther, and she was too heavy to carry on our Backs […] 1720, Daniel Defoe, Captain Singleton, London: J. Brotherton, page 87:
(intransitive) To become immersed in, or as if in, or flooded with, or as if with, a liquid.
a bare few bits of meat swimming in watery sauce
swimming in self-pity
(intransitive) To move around freely because of excess space.
A fam'd Sur-tout he wears, which once was blue,
And his foot swims in a capacious shoe. 1777, The Poetical Preceptor; Or, a Collection of Select Pieces of Poetry, Etc:
(transitive) To traverse (a specific body of water, or a specific distance) by swimming; or, to use a specific swimming stroke; or, to compete in a specific swimming event.
I want to swim the 200-yard breaststroke in the finals.
For exercise, we like to swim laps around the pool.
Sometimes he thought to swim the stormy main. 1697, Virgil, “The Tenth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(transitive, uncommon) To cause to swim.
Half of the guinea pigs were swum daily.
to swim a horse across a river
(archaic, intransitive) To float.
There's oil swimming on the water.
And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings 6:6:
Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!
The storm is up and all is on the hazard. 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
sink or swim
(intransitive) To be overflowed or drenched.
Sudden, the ditches ſwell; the meadows ſwim. a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Autumn”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 127, line 336:
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 6:6:
(transitive) To immerse in water to make the lighter parts float.
to swim wheat in order to select seed
(historical, transitive) To test (a suspected witch) by throwing into a river; those who floated rather than sinking were deemed to be witches.
(intransitive) To glide along with a waving motion.
(intransitive) To have a great quantity of something.
ga snámh (move through water) · cic yopi (move through water) · sk plávať (move through water) · cs plout (move through water) · csb płëwac (move through water) · mk пли́ва (move through water) · nn symja (move through water) · ovd simma (move through water) · haw ʻauʻau (move through water) · br neui (move through water) · yi שווימען (move through water) · grc νέω (move through water) · mn ᠰᠡᠯᠢᠬᠦ (move through water) · el κολυμπάω (move through water) · tet nani (move through water) · be пла́ваць (move through water) · hak 泅水仔 (move through water) · cic yopichi (move through water) · kk жүзу (move through water) · nn svømma (move through water) · kl naluppoq (move through water) · ill langui (move through water) · co nutà (move through water) · om daakuu (move through water) · jv langi (move through water) · dsb plěwaś (move through water) · be папла́ваць (move through water) · mn сэлэх (move through water) · xul yerra (move through water) · pl płynąć (move through water) · vec nuar (move through water) · ca nedar (move through water) · vec noar (move through water) · ml നീന്തുക (move through water) · ur تیرنا (move through water) · es nadar (move through water) · sc natare (move through water) · uk пла́вати (move through water) · vo svimön (move through water) · om dakuu (move through water) · fa شناویدن (move through water) · jaz wân (move through water) · tg шино кардан (move through water) · fj qalo (move through water) · mn ᠤᠮᠪᠠᠬᠤ (move through water) · rup not (move through water) · eo naĝi (move through water) · cs plavat (move through water) · de schwimmen (move through water) · io natar (move through water) · is synda (move through water) · grc κολυμβάω (move through water) · za apdah (move through water) · te ఈదు (move through water) · da svømme (move through water) · yo lùwẹ̀ (move through water) · haw ʻau (move through water) · ro înota (move through water) · sc nadare (move through water) · nap natà (move through water) · nb svømme (move through water) · sq notoj (move through water) · uz yuzmoq (move through water) · he שָׂחָה (move through water) · qu wayt'ay (move through water) · bcl maglangoy (move through water) · fa شنا کردن (move through water) · sl plavati (move through water) · lmo nuà (move through water) · ug ئۈزمەك (move through water) · ab аӡсара (move through water) · la natō (move through water) · piz wân (move through water) · msk langoy (move through water) · pt nadar (move through water) · ia natar (move through water) · pl pływać (move through water) · mi tere (move through water) · jv nglangi (move through water) · ace langue (move through water) · sw kuogelea (move through water) · ba йөҙөү (move through water) · an nadar (move through water) · bo འཕྱོ (move through water) · cic ok-aayopi (move through water) · ota یوزمك (move through water) · cv иш (move through water) · pms nové (move through water) · ext nadal (move through water) · acw سِبِح (move through water) · cdo 泅水 (move through water) · tpw ‘ytab (move through water) · lb schwammen (move through water) · hak 洗身仔 (move through water) · ce нека дан (move through water) · gd snàmh (move through water) · it natare (move through water) · fur nadâ (move through water) · pam kaue (move through water) · sc nadai (move through water) · tsg languy (move through water) · hak 泅水 (move through water) · izh uijua (move through water) · nl zwemmen (move through water) · sc anatare (move through water) · za youzraemx (move through water) · uk плисти́ (move through water) · mdh lumanguy (move through water) · sa प्लवते (move through water) · be паплы́ць (move through water) · az üzmək (move through water) · nan-hbl 泅水 (move through water) · mrv kau (move through water) · mr पोहणे (move through water) · txb nāsk- (move through water) · ky жүзүү (move through water) · uk поплисти́ (move through water) · ce лийча (move through water) · uz suzmoq (move through water) · br neuial (move through water) · ko 헤엄치다 (move through water) · ast ñadar (move through water) · pag langoy (move through water) · za youz (move through water) · la nō (move through water) · eu igeri egin (move through water) · as সাঁতোৰ (move through water) · qu wamp'uy (move through water) · fwa wân (move through water) · chr ᎠᏓᏬᏍᏗ (move through water) · rup mplãtescu (move through water) · cmn 游泳 (move through water) · it nuotare (move through water) · hil langoy (move through water) · yur ruerek' (move through water) · pmt kau (move through water) · lo ລອຍນ້ຳ (move through water) · wuu 游泳 (move through water) · kxd beranang (move through water) · rap kau (move through water) · hy լողալ (move through water) · za ap (move through water) · wuu 游水 (move through water) · lv peldēt (move through water) · sh plȉvati (move through water) · kpg kau (move through water) · mt għam (move through water) · rm senudar (move through water) · lt plaukti (move through water) · sv simma (move through water) · yue 游水 (move through water) · fa شناییدن (move through water) · pih naawe (move through water) · tr yüzmek (move through water) · mfe naze (move through water) · syc ܣܚܐ (move through water) · mi kakau (move through water) · mrw langoy (move through water) · sd ترڻ (move through water) · ltg mauduot (move through water) · chr ᎠᏳᎢᏁᎦ (move through water) · zea zwemme (move through water) · os ленк кӕнын (move through water) · av лъедезе (move through water) · war langoy (move through water) · tt йөзәргә (move through water) · sq luoz (move through water) · kld gubiy (move through water) · si පිහිනනවා (move through water) · mww luam dej (move through water) · tyv эштир (move through water) · ne पौडिनु (move through water) · zdj utsunga (move through water) · enm swymmen (move through water) · fo svimja (move through water) · su ngojai (move through water) · roa-tar natà (move through water) · uk попла́вати (move through water) · nv naʼałkǫ́ǫ́ʼ (move through water) · roa-tar natare (move through water) · grc νήχομαι (move through water) · lmo nodà (move through water) · mn умбах (move through water) · tk ýüzmek (move through water) · nn symje (move through water) · se vuodjat (move through water) · km ហែលទឹក (move through water) · rue плывати (move through water) · th ว่ายน้ำ (move through water) · evn элбэскэтчэми (move through water) · za dajcaemx (move through water) · mnc ᡝᠯᠪᡳᡧᡝᠮᠪᡳ (move through water) · sh пли̏вати (move through water) · ru плыть (move through water) · km ហែល (move through water) · bo ཆུ་རྐྱལ་རྒྱག (move through water) · ka ცურავს (move through water) · ta நீந்து (move through water) · my ရေကူး (move through water) · nds-de swimmen (move through water) · tl lumangoy (move through water) · ckt аӈӄатыԓяк (move through water) · nrf nagi (move through water) · arz عام (move through water) · akl eangoy (move through water) · gld паори- (move through water) · fy swimme (move through water) · gl nadar (move through water) · tl languyin (move through water) · ht naje (move through water) · pap landa (move through water) · bn সাঁতার (move through water) · scn natari (move through water) · tyv эштип билир (move through water) · alt јӱзер (move through water) · ar سَبَحَ (move through water) · njo-jgl awa (move through water) · ps لامبل (move through water) · to kakau (move through water) · rm nuder (move through water) · chk tuken (move through water) · ttj -ziha (move through water) · cy nofio (move through water) · sm ʻaʻau (move through water) · ast nadar (move through water) · rm nudar (move through water) · udm уяны (move through water) · ilo aglangoy (move through water) · mi kau (move through water) · et ujuma (move through water) · sco sweem (move through water) · rup anot (move through water) · fi uida (move through water) · dsb plěś (move through water) · vi tắm (move through water) · br neuñviñ (move through water) · vec nodar (move through water) · fr nager (move through water) · be плыць (move through water) · hsb płuwać (move through water) · th ว่าย (move through water) · gld онёан- (move through water) · hu úszik (move through water) · ru пла́вать (move through water) · yur kepoyuerek' (move through water) · vi bơi (move through water) · hi तैरना (move through water) · ko 수영하다 (move through water) · frr sweem (move through water) · oc nadar (move through water) · af swem (move through water) · ja 泳ぐ (move through water) · id berenang (move through water) · evn уюкта- (move through water) · nem wân (move through water) · rm nodar (move through water) · bg плу́вам (move through water) · ltg maut (move through water)
swim en · NOUN · etymology 2
Etymology
From Middle English swime, sweme, swaime (“a dizziness, swoon, trance”), from Old English swīma (“a swoon, swimming in the head”). Cognate with Swedish svimma (“to swoon, faint”) and Danish svime (“to swoon, faint”) / Danish besvime (“to swoon, faint”).
Meanings
A dizziness; swoon.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
swims
Number=Plur
lexicographic
swim en · VERB · etymology 2
Etymology
From Middle English swime, sweme, swaime (“a dizziness, swoon, trance”), from Old English swīma (“a swoon, swimming in the head”). Cognate with Swedish svimma (“to swoon, faint”) and Danish svime (“to swoon, faint”) / Danish besvime (“to swoon, faint”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To be dizzy or vertiginous; have a giddy sensation; to have, or appear to have, a whirling motion.
My head was swimming after drinking two bottles of cheap wine.
She snatched the letter from Sir Jasper, who started as her icy hand touched his: she attempted to read the passage herself, but the letters seemed to swim before her gaze: they turned to fire; the paper dropped from her grasp; a thick mist appeared to gather over the room; she gave a convulsive shudder, and dropped on the floor perfectly insensible. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The End of Doubt”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 291:
(Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, no-plural) Abbreviation of someone who isn't me, used as a way to avoid self-designation or self-incrimination, especially in online drug forums.