swish

American  

[swish] / swɪʃ /

verb (used without object)

1. to move with or make a sibilant sound, as a slender rod cutting sharply through the air or as small waves washing on the shore.

2. to rustle, as silk.

3. to move or behave in an exaggeratedly effeminate manner.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to flourish, whisk, etc., with a swishing movement or sound.

   to swish a cane.

2. to bring, take, cut, etc., with such a movement or sound.

   to swish off the tops of plants with a cane.

3. to flog or whip.

noun

1. a swishing movement or sound.

2. a stock or rod for flogging or a stroke with this.

3. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to an effeminate gay man.

adjective

1. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. swishy.

2. Chiefly British Informal. stylishly elegant; fashionable.

swish British  

/ swɪʃ /

verb

1. to move with or make or cause to move with or make a whistling or hissing sound

2. (intr) (esp of fabrics) to rustle

3. slang (tr) to whip; flog

4. to cut with a swishing blow

---

noun

1. a hissing or rustling sound or movement

2. a rod for flogging or a blow from such a rod

3. slang an effeminate male homosexual

4. a W African building material composed of mortar and mud or laterite, or more recently of cement and earth

adjective

1. informal fashionable; smart

2. slang effeminate and homosexual

Other Word Forms

• swisher noun
• swishing adjective
• swishingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of swish

First recorded in 1750–60; imitative

Example Sentences

Wembanyama, just 21 years old, can already do anything he likes on the basketball court: block shots, slam home dunks, swish jumpers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, what connects both failures was the fact they were again both drives - the first aggressive swish edged to the slips before a more tentative push.

From BBC

Dunn let the three fly and swished it in to push the Trojans lead to 30 points.

From Los Angeles Times

The cows swished their tails and chewed their cud and followed the truck with their eyes.

From Literature

In the modern game, which has become overrun by monstrously tall super-athletes who can swish 3-pointers as easily as they throw down dunks, every franchise is searching far and wide for the next big thing.

From The Wall Street Journal