swap

American  

[swop] / swɒp /

especially British, swop

verb (used with object)

swapped, swapping

1. to exchange, barter, or trade, as one thing for another.

   He swapped his wrist watch for the radio.

2. to substitute (one thing) for another (sometimes followed byin ).

   Swap in red wine for white, since powerful nutrients are in the red grape's skin.

3. to replace (one thing) with another (sometimes followed byout ).

   To cut down on fat, swap cream for milk.

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verb (used without object)

swapped, swapping

1. to make an exchange.

noun

1. an exchange.

   He got the radio in a swap.

swap British  

/ swɒp /

verb

1. to trade or exchange (something or someone) for another

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noun

1. an exchange

2. something that is exchanged

3. Also called: swap option.   swaption.  finance a contract in which the parties to it exchange liabilities on outstanding debts, often exchanging fixed interest-rate for floating-rate debts ( debt swap ), either as a means of managing debt or in trading ( swap trading )

Other Word Forms

• swapper noun
• unswapped adjective

Etymology

Origin of swap

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English swappen “to strike, strike hands (in bargaining)”; cognate with dialectal German schwappen “to clap, box (the ears)”

Example Sentences

Beyond the shopping, events often include drag shows, photos with Santa, food trucks, clothing swaps, and even furry fashion shows.

From Salon

Speaking to reporters ahead of a parliamentary confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Shin said robust foreign inflows into the local bond market, particularly through foreign-exchange swaps, have helped underpin dollar funding conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Selections can be made in one package, but the time and day swapped with another.

From BBC

They may also decide to use less fertilizer when planting this spring, or turn to cheaper alternatives by swapping out more expensive ammonia fertilizers for cheaper potash options.

From Barron's

So the Newsom and Cox campaigns opened a private back-channel, trading gossip, swapping insights on the race and even sharing some empirical data.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• substitute
• switch
• trade