swift
coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay: a swift decision.
swiftly.
any of numerous long-winged, swallowlike birds of the family Apodidae, related to the hummingbirds and noted for their rapid flight.
Also called swift moth [swift-mawth, moth], /ˈswɪft ˌmɔθ, mɒθ/, ghost moth. any of several brown or gray moths, the males of which are usually white, of the family Hepialidae, noted for rapid flight.
an adjustable device upon which a hank of yarn is placed in order to wind off skeins or balls.
the main cylinder on a machine for carding flax.
Origin of swift
1synonym study For swift
Other words for swift
Other words from swift
- swift·ly, adverb
- swift·ness, noun
Other definitions for Swift (2 of 3)
Gustavus Franklin, 1839–1903, U.S. meat packer.
Jonathan "Isaac Bickerstaff", 1667–1745, English satirist and clergyman, born in Ireland.
Other definitions for SWIFT (3 of 3)
Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication: an international consortium that routes instructions concerning transfer of funds between financial institutions.
Origin of SWIFT
3Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use swift in a sentence
In his capacity as the Swifts' business manager, he had earned the nickname "watchdog of the treasury."
Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope | Victor AppletonThere is a circumstance respecting the colour of swifts which seems not to be unworthy of our attention.
The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 2 | Gilbert WhiteWhat a twittering there is in the chimney that the swifts appropriate after the winter fires have died out!
Bird Neighbors | Neltje BlanchanThere are also two full bobbins in the winding position, and several hanks of yarn on the swifts.
The Jute Industry: From Seed to Finished Cloth | T. Woodhouse and P. KilgourEarly in the morning of that day a large number of Swifts were seen gathering in a flock at a short distance from the house.
Bird Lore, Volume I--1899 | Various
British Dictionary definitions for swift (1 of 2)
/ (swɪft) /
moving or able to move quickly; fast
occurring or performed quickly or suddenly; instant: a swift response
(postpositive foll by to) prompt to act or respond: swift to take revenge
swiftly or quickly
(in combination): swift-moving
any bird of the families Apodidae and Hemiprocnidae, such as Apus apus (common swift) of the Old World: order Apodiformes. They have long narrow wings and spend most of the time on the wing
(sometimes capital) a variety of domestic fancy pigeon originating in Egypt and Syria and having an appearance somewhat similar to a swift
short for swift moth
any of certain North American lizards of the genera Sceloporus and Uta that can run very rapidly: family Iguanidae (iguanas)
the main cylinder in a carding machine
an expanding circular frame used to hold skeins of silk, wool, etc
Origin of swift
1Derived forms of swift
- swiftly, adverb
- swiftness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Swift (2 of 2)
/ (swɪft) /
Graham Colin. born 1949, English writer: his novels include Waterland (1983), Last Orders (1996), which won the Booker prize, and The Light of Day (2002)
Jonathan. 1667–1745, Anglo-Irish satirist and churchman, who became dean of St Patrick's, Dublin, in 1713. His works include A Tale of a Tub (1704) and Gulliver's Travels (1726)
Derived forms of Swift
- Swiftian, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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