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swan

1

[ swon ]

noun

  1. any of several large, stately aquatic birds of the subfamily Anserinae, having a long, slender neck and usually pure-white plumage in the adult. Compare mute swan, trumpeter swan, whistling swan, whooper swan.
  2. a person or thing of unusual beauty, excellence, purity, or the like.
  3. Literary. a person who sings sweetly or a poet.
  4. Swan, Astronomy. the constellation Cygnus.


swan

2

[ swon ]

verb (used without object)

  1. Midland and Southern U.S. Older Use. to swear or declare (used with I ):

    Well, I swan, I never expected to see you here!

Swan

3

[ swon ]

noun

  1. Sir Joseph Wilson, 1828–1914, British chemist, electrical engineer, and inventor.

Swan

1

/ swɒn /

noun

  1. SwanSir Joseph Wilson18281914MEnglishSCIENCE: physicistSCIENCE: chemist Sir Joseph Wilson. 1828–1914, English physicist and chemist, who developed the incandescent electric light (1880) independently of Edison
“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


Swan

2

/ swɒn /

noun

  1. a river in SW Western Australia, rising as the Avon northeast of Narrogin and flowing northwest and west to the Indian Ocean below Perth. Length: about 240 km (150 miles)
“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

swan

3

/ swɒn /

noun

  1. any large aquatic bird of the genera Cygnus and Coscoroba, having a long neck and usually a white plumage: family Anatidae, order Anseriformes
  2. rare.
    1. a poet
    2. ( capital when part of a title or epithet )

      the Swan of Avon (Shakespeare)

“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

verb

  1. informal.
    intr; usually foll by around or about to wander idly
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˈswanˌlike, adjective
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Other Words From

  • swanlike adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of swan1

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Schwan, Old Norse svanr

Origin of swan2

1775–85, Americanism; probably continuing dial. (N England) I s'wan, shortening of I shall warrant
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Word History and Origins

Origin of swan1

Old English; related to Old Norse svanr, Middle Low German swōn
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Example Sentences

An anonymous identifier called SWAN lets people control what ads they see online.

From Digiday

Gaetz apparently shared messages and documents supporting his claims with Axios's Jonathan Swan, though Swan didn't offer details on what that material indicated.

According to Swan, one kilo of lettuce can be produced at Sustenir Agriculture with one-twelfth of the carbon emissions it takes to import lettuce from Australia.

From Quartz

We were dating at the height of popularity of sites like Hot or Not and TV shows like The Swan.

From Vox

The company wouldn’t make the mistake again, as it sought to pack even more transistors per chip at a scale of 7-nanometers next, Swan promised.

From Fortune

The film Black Swan, with costumes by Rodarte, had an enormous impact on fashion.

Natalie Portman The Black Swan Oscar winner rapped on SNL with The Lonely Island.

The Fountain was one long fight, The Wrestler was divorce, and then we reconciled on Black Swan.

Seeley Lake lies in the valley between two mountain ranges: the Swan to the east, the Mission to the west.

From the corner of the porch you can see the Swan Mountains; turning your head, you see the Missions.

The universal desire was for mamma to see him, and when the time came, she owned that papa's swan had not turned out a goose.

Between the cape and Point Swan, there is a sandy bay, fronted by a bed of rocks.

The Black Swan, is singing to fine fashionable houses, and bids fair to stand unrivalled in the world of Song.

When the boat's all finished and all sails set, she'll sail away just like a swan; you see if she doesn't.

Now, little girl, you stand here and say: 'I christen thee White Swan.'

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