Definitions for swift
swɪftswift

Princeton's WordNet(2.60 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Swift, Gustavus Franklin Swiftnoun

   United States meat-packer who began the use of refrigerated railroad cars (1839-1903)

2. Swift, Jonathan Swift, Dean Swiftnoun

   an English satirist born in Ireland (1667-1745)

3. swiftnoun

   a small bird that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight

4. western fence lizard, swift, blue-belly, Sceloporus occidentalisadjective

   common western lizard; seen on logs or rocks

5. fleet, swiftadjective

   moving very fast

   "fleet of foot"; "the fleet scurrying of squirrels"; "a swift current"; "swift flight of an arrow"; "a swift runner"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. swiftnoun

   The current of a stream.

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

2. swiftnoun

   A small plain-colored bird (of the family Micropodidæ) that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight. Common European swift: Cypselus, u2228 Micropus, apus. The common American, or chimney, swift: Chætura pelagica. The Australian swift: Chætura caudacuta. The European Alpine swift: Cypselus melba. The common Indian swift: Cypselus affinis.

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

3. swiftnoun

   A western fence lizard, swift, blue-belly, Sceloporus occidentalis -- (common western lizard; seen on logs or rocks)

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

4. swiftnoun

   The ghost moth.

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

5. swiftadjective

   fast; quick; rapid.

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

6. swiftadjective

   Capable of moving at high speeds.

   Etymology: From the verb swīfan

7. Swiftnoun

   A surname, originally a nickname for a swift or quick person.

8. Swiftnoun

   A general-purpose multi-paradigm compiled programming language introduced by Apple Inc. in 2014.

   If anyone outside Apple saw Swift coming, they certainly weren't making any public predictions.

9. Swiftnoun

   Alternative letter-case form of SWIFT

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Swiftverb

   moving a great distance in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy; prompt

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

2. Swiftverb

   of short continuance; passing away quickly

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

3. Swiftadverb

   swiftly

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

4. Swiftnoun

   the current of a stream

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

5. Swiftnoun

   any one of numerous species of small, long-winged, insectivorous birds of the family Micropodidae. In form and habits the swifts resemble swallows, but they are destitute of complex vocal muscles and are not singing birds, but belong to a widely different group allied to the humming birds

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

6. Swiftnoun

   any one of several species of lizards, as the pine lizard

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

7. Swiftnoun

   the ghost moth. See under Ghost

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

8. Swiftnoun

   a reel, or turning instrument, for winding yarn, thread, etc.; -- used chiefly in the plural

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

9. Swiftnoun

   the main card cylinder of a flax-carding machine

   Etymology: [Cf. Swivel.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Swift

   The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds. The treeswifts are closely related to the true swifts, but form a separate family, the Hemiprocnidae. The resemblances between swifts and swallows are due to convergent evolution, reflecting similar life styles based on catching insects in flight. The family scientific name comes from the Ancient Greek απους, apous, meaning "without feet", since swifts have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, clinging instead to vertical surfaces. The tradition of depicting swifts without feet continued into the Middle Ages, as seen in the heraldic martlet.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Swift

   swift, adj. moving quickly: fleet, rapid: speedy: ready.—n. a genus (Cypselus) and family (Cypselidæ) of picarian birds, resembling the swallows in general appearance and habits, but most closely allied by anatomical structure to the humming-birds—with long pointed wings, a short tail, and remarkable powers of rapid and prolonged flight: the common newt: a reel for winding yarn: the main cylinder of a carding-machine: the current of a stream.—n. Swif′ter, any rope temporarily used to tighten or keep a thing in its place.—adjs. Swift′-foot′ed; Swift′-hand′ed; Swift′-heeled.—adv. Swift′ly, with swiftness: rapidly.—n. Swift′ness, quality of being swift: quickness: fleetness: rapidity: speed.—adj. Swift′-winged. [A.S. swift, from same root as swoop.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. swift

   When the lower rigging becomes slack at sea, single blocks are placed on each shroud about 8 feet above the deck, a hawser rove through them, and the rigging swifted in, to bring a fair strain. The bars of the capstan are swifted, by passing a rope-swifter over all their ends, and bowsing it well taut. The rigging is also swifted down preparatory to replacing the ratlines truly horizontal after setting up.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. swift

   Song lyrics by swift -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by swift on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Apodiform Bird
   • Meat Packer
   • Satirist

How to pronounce swift?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say swift in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of swift in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of swift in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of swift in a Sentence

1. Donald Trump:

   China has had many opportunities to fully address our concerns, once again, I urge China's leaders to take swift action to end their country's unfair trade practices.

2. Leonard Schrank:

   With the evolution of cyber criminality over the last 10 years, why hasn’t SWIFT and the community done more? these are things that could have been done years ago.

3. Hugh Cumberland:

   This image of the SWIFT network and the surrounding ecosystem being secure and impenetrable has encouraged complacency.

4. Damon Runyon:

   It may not be that the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong - but that is the way to bet.

5. Roy Cooper:

   We all want to be in Charlotte, we love North Carolina, but having a sense now is absolutely essential because of the rules and regulations that are involved, and we look forward to working with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, getting a swift response, and, if need be, moving Republican National Convention to a state that is farther along on reopening and can say with confidence that we can gather there.

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