swift

[ swift ]

/ swɪft /

adjective, swift·er, swift·est.

moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid: a swift ship.

coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay: a swift decision.

quick or prompt to act or respond: swift to jump to conclusions.

Slang. quick to perceive or understand; smart; clever: You can't cheat him, he's too swift.

adverb

swiftly.

noun

any of numerous long-winged, swallowlike birds of the family Apodidae, related to the hummingbirds and noted for their rapid flight.

tree swift.

spiny lizard.

Also called swift moth, 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.

Nearby words

sweven, sweyn, swff, swg, swidden, swift, swift current, swift fox, swift moth, swift's disease, swift, jonathan

Origin of swift

before 900; Middle English (adj. and adv.), Old English (adj.); akin to Old English swīfan to revolve, Old Norse svīfa to rove; see swivel

SYNONYMS FOR swift

1 speedy. See quick.

2 expeditious.

Related formsswift·ly, adverbswift·ness, noun

Can be confusedfast quick rapid swift (see synonym study at quick)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (1 of 3)

swift moth

noun

any of five species of fast-flying moths of the family Hepialidae, regarded as primitive in development, having forewings and hind wings similar in size and shape: the best known is the ghost swift, Hepialus humiliOften shortened to: swift

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (2 of 3)

swift

/ (swɪft) /

adjective

moving or able to move quickly; fast

occurring or performed quickly or suddenly; instanta swift response

(postpositive foll by to) prompt to act or respondswift to take revenge

adverb

swiftly or quickly
(in combination)swift-moving

noun

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

Derived Formsswiftly, adverbswiftness, noun

Word Origin for swift

Old English, from swīfan to turn; related to Old Norse svifa to rove, Old Frisian swīvia to waver, Old High German sweib a reversal; see swivel

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (3 of 3)

Swift

/ (swɪft) /

noun

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 FormsSwiftian, 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

Word Origin and History for swift moth (1 of 2)

swift

adj.

Old English swift "moving quickly," related to swifan "move in a course, sweep" (see swivel). Related: Swiftly; swiftness.

Word Origin and History for swift moth (1 of 2)

swift

type of bird (several species of the family Cypselidæ, resembling swallows), 1660s, from swift (adj.) in reference to its swift flight. Regarded as a bird of ill-omen, if not downright demonic, probably for its shrill cry. The name earlier had been given to several small fast lizards (1520s).

swift

adjective, swift·er, swift·est.

adverb

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of swift

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (1 of 3)

swift moth

noun

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (2 of 3)

swift

adjective

adverb

noun

Word Origin for swift

British Dictionary definitions for swift moth (3 of 3)

Swift

noun

Word Origin and History for swift moth (1 of 2)

swift

Word Origin and History for swift moth (1 of 2)

swift