Swan Definition
swan
See also Swan
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English
Wikipedia has an article on: Swan A swan.Etymology
From Old English swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (thus cognate with Saxon swan), Old Norse svanr, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan), probably literally "the singing bird," from a Proto-Indo-European base *swon-/*swen- "to sing, make sound" (thus related to Old English geswin "melody, song" and swinsian "to make melody")
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA: [ˈswɒn], X-SAMPA: ["swQn]
- Rhymes: -ɒn
- (US) IPA: [ˈswɑn], X-SAMPA: ["swAn]
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɑn
Noun
swan (plural swans)
- (plural also 'swan') Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus, most of which have white plumage.
- (figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
Derived terms
- swanling
- swan species: black swan, black-necked swan, mute swan, trumpeter swan, tundra swan, whooper swan
- swan boat
- swan dive
- swanherd
- swannery
- swansdown
- swanskin
- swan song
See also
- cob (adult male)
- cygnet (epicene, young)
- lamentation
- pen (adult female)
Verb
swan (third-person singular simple present swans, present participle swanning, simple past and past participle swanned)
- (UK) (intransitive) To travel from place to place with no fixed itinerary or purpose.
- 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal
- He swans around that stinking office in his expensive clothes that are a little too tight for comfort, he swans around that stinking office without a care in the world.
- 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal
- (originally New England, now Southern, Midwest US) Used with "I" in the first-person singular present tense as a minced oath for "I swear", an exclamation of surprise.
- 1907 December, J. D. Archer, Foiling an eavesdropper, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345:
- "Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."
- 1907 December, J. D. Archer, Foiling an eavesdropper, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345:
Usage notes
- In the sense "to travel", usually used as part of the phrase "to swan about" or "to swan around".
Anagrams
Old English
Etymology 1
From Proto-Germanic *swanaz, whence also Old High German swan, Old Norse svanr
Noun
swan m.
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *swainiz, whence also Old High German swein, Old Norse sveinn, English swain
Noun
swān m.
West Frisian
Noun
swan c.
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