swift

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /swɪft/ See IPA manual

Freq #7835

Meanings

1

adj
Happening or moving very quickly.

The government promised swift action against the criminals.
2

adv
In a quick way; swiftly.

Light boats sail swift, even where larger ships move slowly.
3

noun
A small fast-flying bird with long, narrow wings.

Swifts darted through the evening sky catching insects.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · happening or moving very... fleet quick rapid

Word family

Forms swifterswiftestswifts

Derived forms over-swiftoverswiftswift-boatswift-boatingswift-flowingswift-flyingswift-footedswift-handedswift-thinkingswiftboatswiftboatingswiftfooted

Related forms swift-footednessswift-handednessswiftfootednessswifthandedness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

swift current
a flow of water moving at high speed

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English swift, from Old English swift (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Germanic *swiftaz (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)weyp- (“to twist; wind around”). Cognate with Icelandic svipta (“to pull quickly”), Old English swīfan (“to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene”). More at swivel.

swift Old English *swiftaz Proto-Germanic *(s)weyp- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# swift

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, adv, noun
**IPA (US):** /swɪft/
**Frequency rank:** 7835

## Meanings
1. Happening or moving very quickly.
2. In a quick way; swiftly.
3. A small fast-flying bird with long, narrow wings.

## Examples
- The government promised swift action against the criminals.
- Light boats sail swift, even where larger ships move slowly.
- Swifts darted through the evening sky catching insects.

## Derived Forms
- over-swift
- overswift
- swift-boat
- swift-boating
- swift-flowing
- swift-flying
- swift-footed
- swift-handed
- swift-thinking
- swiftboat
- swiftboating
- swiftfooted

## Related Forms
- swift-footedness
- swift-handedness
- swiftfootedness
- swifthandedness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: swift
- Root: *swiftaz
- Root: *(s)weyp-

## Etymology
From Middle English swift, from Old English swift (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Germanic *swiftaz (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)weyp- (“to twist; wind around”). Cognate with Icelandic svipta (“to pull quickly”), Old English swīfan (“to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene”). More at swivel.

## AI Etymology
Swift is from Middle English swift, from Old English swift (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Germanic *swiftaz (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)weyp- (“to twist; wind around”). Cognate with Icelandic svipta (“to pull quickly”), Old English swīfan (“to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene”). In present-day use, it can mean happening or moving very quickly, or in a quick way; swiftly.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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