swan

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   sweep majestically

   Airplanes were swanning over the mountains

2. 2
   verb

   To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way.

   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.

3. 3
   verb

   To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).

   "Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."

4. 4
   noun

   someone connected with Swansea City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.

   The Swans will doubtless recover, but they will head home this evening knowing that they didn't do themselves justice in a game that means so much to supporters.

5. 5
   noun

   stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and usually white plumage as adult

6. 6
   verb

   to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

7. 7
   verb

   move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

8. 8
   noun

   Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂-osder. Proto-Germanic *swanaz Proto-West Germanic *swan Old English swan Middle English swan English swan From Middle English swan, from Old English swan, from Proto-West Germanic *swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (“swan”, literally “the singing bird”), from Proto-Indo-European *swonh₂-/*swenh₂- (“to sing, make sound”). Cognate with West Frisian swan, Low German Swaan, swan, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan, Danish svane, Norwegian svane, Swedish svan. Related also to Old English ġeswin (“melody, song”), Old English swinsia…