swipe
a swing of the arm, paw, etc., in order to strike someone or something: He made a swipe at me, but I ducked!A swipe from the cat could mean an injured eye for your new pup.
a critical or cutting remark: Her speech contained a few nasty swipes at the other leading candidate.
a swift pass of something over a surface or through a slot: You can debit your checking account with just a swipe of your card.It’ll take more than a few swipes with a sponge to clean this sink.
a strong, sweeping blow or stroke: It only took two swipes with the ax to bring the sapling down.
a sideswipe.
a leverlike device for raising or lowering a weight, especially a bucket in a well; sweep.
Also called rubber .Horse Racing. a person who rubs down horses in a stable; groom.
Informal. to steal: He'll swipe anything that isn't nailed down.
to slide (a magnetic card) quickly through an electronic device that reads data: Just swipe your credit card if tapping doesn’t work.
Digital Technology. to move a finger or fingers across an area on (a touchscreen) in order to execute a command: Swipe the screen upward to unlock your phone.
to hit, brush, or wipe with a swift, sweeping stroke: I swiped my face with my sleeve.
to make a swift, sweeping stroke: The waiter swiped at our table with a damp cloth.The giant swiped at the mouse with his boulder-sized fists.
to slide a magnetic card through an electronic device.
Digital Technology. to move the fingers across a touchscreen: Swipe down from the top to find your Favorites.
Idioms about swipe
swipe left,
Digital Technology. to move the fingers to the left on a touchscreen: originally, on some sites, a way to close or dismiss something: Users of the dating app can swipe left to indicate they are not interested in the photos and move on to the next person.Tap on the icon and swipe left to begin recording.
to reject something or someone (often used with on): You’ll find nicer apartments than this—swipe left!Even with a six-figure salary, I think I’d swipe left on that job.
swipe right,
Digital Technology. to move the fingers to the right on a touchscreen: originally, on some sites, a way to open, approve, or opt for something: Swipe right on the profile to send the person a message.Swipe right to continue.
to choose in favor of something or someone; approve (often used with on): An iced cappuccino on a hot day like today—I’ll swipe right on that!
Origin of swipe
1Words Nearby swipe
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use swipe in a sentence
Instead of using physical buttons, the right cup features swipe gestures to adjust volume or switch tracks.
Electronics and exercise gear that make excellent gifts | PopSci Commerce Team | October 8, 2020 | Popular-ScienceHelmed by licensed real estate broker Hannah Bomze, Casa Blanca introduces dating app-like swipe technology, combining machine learning with real-life insight from some of New York City’s most experienced real estate agents.
The nonstick six inch plates cook perfect Mickey waffles in five minutes and can be cleaned just as quickly with a few swipes of a damp cloth.
The best mini waffle makers for delectable breakfasts | PopSci Commerce Team | October 2, 2020 | Popular-ScienceYou can also access the camera quickly from the Control Center, via a swipe down from the top right of the screen when the phone is unlocked.
Get around your phone more quickly than you already are | David Nield | September 16, 2020 | Popular-ScienceAssembly Speaker Anthnoy Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins took swipes at each other in George Skelton’s Los Angeles Times column Thursday.
Morning Report: Downtown Jail Outbreak Goes From Bad to Worse | Voice of San Diego | September 11, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
swipe, pass judgment, see who likes you and see if anyone likes you back.
Swipe Right For Sex: Mixxxer Is Tinder for the Porn Star Set | Aurora Snow | October 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe are going through and looking for people that we would honestly ‘swipe right’ for.
Grindr and Tinder Help the Holy Land Make Love, Not War | Gideon Resnick | July 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“One swipe with a crowbar and he would have been down,” Sasha said.
I Heard About the Latest Crazed Shooter While I Watched the World Cup with Guys He Almost Killed | Daniel Genis | July 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMeanwhile, Paul has claimed the mantle of Reaganism for his foreign policy views, in a direct swipe at Ted Cruz.
Will Rand Paul’s Unorthodox Foreign Policy Fit in the GOP? | Kristen Soltis Anderson | April 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFlawless skin, perfect hair, and bright white teeth are all just a swipe away.
New App, SkinneePix, Promises to Shave 15 Pounds Off Your Selfies | Charlotte Lytton | April 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd Robarts raised his bat, prepared for a good swipe if the ball came within reach, which he did not much expect.
Dr. Jolliffe's Boys | Lewis HoughFirst they swipe my girl and erase all traces of her; then when I go looking they offer me help and sympathy for my distress.
Highways in Hiding | George Oliver SmithSo far, Security has played one nation against another enough to keep any from daring to swipe power on the planets.
Police Your Planet | Lester del ReyI wade in as far as I can, and make a tremendous swipe with the rod.
Mr. Punch With Rod and Gun | VariousThey've got their auto out in some sort of a shed and if we could run it we could swipe the whole thing.
The Motor Rangers Through the Sierras | Marvin West
British Dictionary definitions for swipe
/ (swaɪp) /
(when intr, usually foll by at) informal to hit hard with a sweeping blow
(tr) slang to steal
(tr) to pass a machine-readable card, such as a credit card, debit card, etc, through a machine that electronically interprets the information encoded, usu. in a magnetic strip, on the card
informal a hard blow
an unexpected criticism of someone or something while discussing another subject
Also called: sweep a type of lever for raising and lowering a weight, such as a bucket in a well
Origin of swipe
1Collins 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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