swim

[swim]

verb (used without object)

swam, swum, swimming. 

1. to move in water by movements of the limbs, fins, tail, etc.

2. to float on the surface of water or some other liquid.

3. to move, rest, or be suspended in air as if swimming in water.

4. to move, glide, or go smoothly over a surface.

5. to be immersed or steeped in or overflowing or flooded with a liquid.

   eyes swimming with tears.

6. to be dizzy or giddy; seem to whirl.

   My head began to swim.

verb (used with object)

swam, swum, swimming. 

1. to move along in or cross (a body of water) by swimming.

   to swim a lake.

2. to perform (a particular stroke) in swimming.

   to swim a sidestroke.

3. to cause to swim or float, as on a stream.

4. to furnish with sufficient water to swim or float.

noun

1. an act, instance, or period of swimming.

2. a motion as of swimming; a smooth, gliding movement.

swim

/ swɪm /

verb

1. (intr) to move along in water, etc, by means of movements of the body or parts of the body, esp the arms and legs, or (in the case of fish) tail and fins

2. (tr) to cover (a distance or stretch of water) in this way

3. (tr) to compete in (a race) in this way

4. (intr) to be supported by and on a liquid; float

5. (tr) to use (a particular stroke) in swimming

6. (intr) to move smoothly, usually through air or over a surface

7. (intr) to reel or seem to reel

   my head swam

   the room swam around me

8. (intr; often foll by in or with) to be covered or flooded with water or other liquid

9. to be liberally supplied (with)

   he's swimming in money

10. (tr) to cause to float or swim

11. (tr) to provide (something) with water deep enough to float in

12. to resist prevailing opinion

13. to conform to prevailing opinion

noun

1. the act, an instance, or period of swimming

2. any graceful gliding motion

3. a condition of dizziness; swoon

4. a pool in a river good for fishing

5. informal,  fashionable or active in social or political activities

Other Word Forms

• swimming noun
• swimmable adjective
• swimmer noun
• nonswimmer noun
• outswim verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of swim¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English swimmen, Old English swimman; cognate with Dutch zwemmen, German schwimmen, Old Norse svimma

Word History and Origins

Origin of swim¹

Old English swimman; related to Old Norse svima, German schwimmen, Gothic swumsl pond, Norwegian svamla to paddle

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the swim, alert to or actively engaged in events; in the thick of things.

   Despite her age, she is still in the swim.

More idioms and phrases containing swim

• in the swim
• sink or swim

Example Sentences

Planning officers said the swimming pool and summer house could have been built under permitted development rights, but the tennis court and garage would require planning permission.

Read more on BBC

These teeth retract and flex more than the average canine, enabling the fish to latch onto a mate while swimming.

Read more on Science Daily

Over the years, he’s swam and biked recreationally, and enjoys walking and dancing at parties.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"A taxi driver said: 'look, your old lady is coming up there.' I told her: 'don't move from there, I'm jumping in right now.' ... I swam out that way."

Read more on Barron's

Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle said "we've seen the spirit and soul of our communities slowly fade away with the erosion" of services, as amenities such as libraries and swimming pools closed or faced closure.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bathe 
• crawl 
• dive 
• float 
• glide 
• paddle 
• submerge 
• wade