Adjacent Words

Swift definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SWIFT, a.
1. Moving a great distance or over a large space in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy. We say, soft winds, a swift stream, swift lightnings, swift motion, swift as thought, a fowl swift of wing, a man swift of foot. Swift is applicable to any kind of motion.
2. Ready; prompt.
Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. James 1.
3. Speedy; that comes without delay.
There shall be false teachers among you, who shall privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2.
SWIFT, n. The current of a stream. [Little used.]
1. In domestic affairs, a reel or turning instrument for winding yarn. [This is a sense directly from the Saxon verb.]
2. A bird, a species of swallow, so called from the rapidity of its flight.
3. The common newt or eft, a species of lizard.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: moving very fast; "fleet of foot"; "the fleet scurrying of squirrels"; "a swift current"; "swift flight of an arrow"; "a swift runner" [syn: fleet, swift] n
1: United States meat-packer who began the use of refrigerated railroad cars (1839-1903) [syn: Swift, Gustavus Franklin Swift]
2: an English satirist born in Ireland (1667-1745) [syn: Swift, Jonathan Swift, Dean Swift]
3: a small bird that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight
4: common western lizard; seen on logs or rocks [syn: western fence lizard, swift, blue-belly, Sceloporus occidentalis]

Merriam Webster's

I. biographical name Gustavus Franklin 1839-1903 American meatpacker II. biographical name Jonathan 1667-1745 English satirist • Swiftian adjective

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old English sw?fan to revolve — more at swivel Date: before 12th century 1. moving or capable of moving with great speed <a swift runner> 2. occurring suddenly or within a very short time <a swift transition> 3. quick to respond ; ready Synonyms: see fast II. adverb Date: 14th century swiftly <swift-flowing> III. noun Date: 15th century 1. any of several lizards (especially of the genus Sceloporus) that run swiftly 2. a reel for winding yarn or thread 3. any of numerous small plainly colored birds (family Apodidae) that are related to the hummingbirds but superficially much resemble swallows

Britannica Concise

Any of about 75 species (family Apodidae) of birds found almost worldwide. The fastest of small birds, swifts can fly at 70 mph (110 kph). They are 4-9 in. (9-23 cm) long and have long wings, a chunky dark body, a broad head, and a short, wide, slightly curved bill. The tail may be short or long and deeply forked. Swifts capture insects, drink, bathe, and sometimes mate on the wing. The feet, incapable of perching, are used to cling to vertical surfaces. Swifts use their sticky saliva to glue the nest to a cave wall, the inside of a chimney, or a tree hollow.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., adv., & n. --adj. 1 quick, rapid; soon coming or passing. 2 speedy, prompt (a swift response; was swift to act). --adv. (archaic except in comb.) swiftly (swift-moving). --n. 1 any swift-flying insect-eating bird of the family Apodidae, with long wings and a superficial resemblance to a swallow. 2 a revolving frame for winding yarn etc. from. Derivatives: swiftly adv. swiftness n. Etymology: OE, rel. to swifan move in a course

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Swift Swift, adv. Swiftly. [Obs. or Poetic] --Shak. Ply swift and strong the oar. --Southey.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Swift Swift, n. 1. The current of a stream. [R.] --Walton. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small, long-winged, insectivorous birds of the family Micropodid[ae]. In form and habits the swifts resemble swallows, but they are destitute of complex vocal muscles and are not singing birds, but belong to a widely different group allied to the humming birds. Note: The common European swift (Cypselus, or Micropus, apus) nests in church steeples and under the tiles of roofs, and is noted for its rapid flight and shrill screams. It is called also black martin, black swift, hawk swallow, devil bird, swingdevil, screech martin, and shreik owl. The common American, or chimney, swift (Ch[ae]tura pelagica) has sharp rigid tips to the tail feathers. It attaches its nest to the inner walls of chimneys, and is called also chimney swallow. The Australian swift (Ch[ae]tura caudacuta) also has sharp naked tips to the tail quills. The European Alpine swift (Cypselus melba) is whitish beneath, with a white band across the breast. The common Indian swift is Cypselus affinis. See also Palm swift, under Palm, and Tree swift, under Tree. 3. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of lizards, as the pine lizard. 4. (Zo["o]l.) The ghost moth. See under Ghost. 5. [Cf. Swivel.] A reel, or turning instrument, for winding yarn, thread, etc.; -- used chiefly in the plural. 6. The main card cylinder of a flax-carding machine.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Swift Swift, a. [Compar. Swifter; superl. Swiftest.] [AS. swift; akin to sw[=a]pan to sweep, swipu a whip; cf. sw[=i]fan to move quickly, to revolve. See Swoop, v. i., and cf. Swivel, Squib.] 1. Moving a great distance in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy; prompt. My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. --James i. 19. Swift of dispatch and easy of access. --Dryden. And bring upon themselves swift destruction. --2 Pet. ii. 1. 2. Of short continuance; passing away quickly. --Shak. Note: Swift is often used in the formation of compounds which are generally self-explaining; as, swift-darting, swift-footed, swift-winged, etc. Syn: Quick; fleet; speedy; rapid; expeditious.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pine Pine, n. [AS. p[=i]n, L. pinus.] 1. (Bot.) Any tree of the coniferous genus Pinus. See Pinus. Note: There are about twenty-eight species in the United States, of which the white pine (P. Strobus), the Georgia pine (P. australis), the red pine (P. resinosa), and the great West Coast sugar pine (P. Lambertiana) are among the most valuable. The Scotch pine or fir, also called Norway or Riga pine (Pinus sylvestris), is the only British species. The nut pine is any pine tree, or species of pine, which bears large edible seeds. See Pinon. The spruces, firs, larches, and true cedars, though formerly considered pines, are now commonly assigned to other genera. 2. The wood of the pine tree. 3. A pineapple. Ground pine. (Bot.) See under Ground. Norfolk Island pine (Bot.), a beautiful coniferous tree, the Araucaria excelsa. Pine barren, a tract of infertile land which is covered with pines. [Southern U.S.] Pine borer (Zo["o]l.), any beetle whose larv[ae] bore into pine trees. Pine finch. (Zo["o]l.) See Pinefinch, in the Vocabulary. Pine grosbeak (Zo["o]l.), a large grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator), which inhabits the northern parts of both hemispheres. The adult male is more or less tinged with red. Pine lizard (Zo["o]l.), a small, very active, mottled gray lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), native of the Middle States; -- called also swift, brown scorpion, and alligator. Pine marten. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A European weasel (Mustela martes), called also sweet marten, and yellow-breasted marten. (b) The American sable. See Sable. Pine moth (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of small tortricid moths of the genus Retinia, whose larv[ae] burrow in the ends of the branchlets of pine trees, often doing great damage. Pine mouse (Zo["o]l.), an American wild mouse (Arvicola pinetorum), native of the Middle States. It lives in pine forests. Pine needle (Bot.), one of the slender needle-shaped leaves of a pine tree. See Pinus. Pine-needle wool. See Pine wool (below). Pine oil, an oil resembling turpentine, obtained from fir and pine trees, and used in making varnishes and colors. Pine snake (Zo["o]l.), a large harmless North American snake (Pituophis melanoleucus). It is whitish, covered with brown blotches having black margins. Called also bull snake. The Western pine snake (P. Sayi) is chestnut-brown, mottled with black and orange. Pine tree (Bot.), a tree of the genus Pinus; pine. Pine-tree money, money coined in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century, and so called from its bearing a figure of a pine tree. Pine weevil (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of weevils whose larv[ae] bore in the wood of pine trees. Several species are known in both Europe and America, belonging to the genera Pissodes, Hylobius, etc. Pine wool, a fiber obtained from pine needles by steaming them. It is prepared on a large scale in some of the Southern United States, and has many uses in the economic arts; -- called also pine-needle wool, and pine-wood wool.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(swifter, swiftest, swifts) 1. A swift event or process happens very quickly or without delay. Our task is to challenge the UN to make a swift decision... The police were swift to act. = quick ADJ • swiftly The French have acted swiftly and decisively to protect their industries. ADV 2. Something that is swift moves very quickly. With a swift movement, Matthew Jerrold sat upright. = quick ADJ • swiftly Lenny moved swiftly and silently across the front lawn. ADV: ADV with v 3. A swift is a small bird with long curved wings. N-COUNT

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SWALLOW.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Quick, fast, fleet, rapid, speedy, expeditious, flying. 2. Ready, prompt, eager, zealous, forward, alert. 3. Sudden, instant, speedy.

Moby Thesaurus

abrupt, agile, alacritous, alert, apt, breakneck, brief, brisk, cometary, cursory, dashing, decisive, dispatchful, double-quick, eagle-winged, electrifying, expeditious, express, fast, festinate, feverish, flashing, flat-out, fleet, flickering, flying, full tilt, furious, galloping, hair-trigger, hasty, headlong, hurried, hustling, immediate, impetuous, impulsive, instant, instantaneous, last-minute, light of heel, light-footed, lively, mercurial, meteoric, nerve-shattering, nimble, nimble-footed, on the spot, passing, precipitant, precipitate, precipitous, prompt, promptly, punctual, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, quickly, raking, rapid, rapidly, ready, reckless, running, sharp, shocking, short, short and sweet, short-term, short-termed, slap-bang, slapdash, smart, snap, snappy, spanking, speedily, speedy, spry, startling, sudden, summary, superficial, supersonic, surprising, swiftly, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, unlooked-for, unpredicted, urgent, winged