swap

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To exchange or give (something) in an non-normal exchange (for something else).

   In an effort to provide more permanent accommodations, employers may offer employees the opportunity either to swap jobs with a colleague or to transfer to a new position.

2. 2
   verb

   To hit, to strike.

   And he whipped his sword out of its scabbard, and swapped off the pudding from the black knight's nose. Unfortunately (for him) he swapped off a good bit of the nose, too.

3. 3
   noun

   An exchange of two comparable things.

   I e’en changed it, as occasion served, with the skippers o’ Dutch luggers and French vessels, for gin and brandy[…] a gude swap too, between what cheereth the soul of man and that which dingeth it clean out of his body

4. 4
   noun

   Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory.

   How much swap do you need?

5. 5
   noun

   an equal exchange

6. 6
   verb

   move (a piece of a program) into memory, in computer science

7. 7
   verb

   exchange or give (something) in exchange for

8. 8
   verb

   To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.

Etymology

From Middle English swappen (“to swap”), originally meaning "to hurl" or "to strike", the word alludes to striking hands together when making an exchange; probably from Old English *swappian, a secondary form of Old English swāpan (“to swoop”). Cognate with German schwappen (“to slosh, slop”). Compare also Middle English swippen (“to strike, hit”), from Old English swipian (“to scourge, strike, beat, lash”), Old Norse svipa (“to swoop, flash, whip, look after, look around”). More at swipe.