swan-upping

[ swon-uhp-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, British.

the taking up of young swans to mark them with nicks on the beak for identification.
an annual expedition for this purpose on the Thames.

swan-upping

1800–10; swan ¹ + upping ( up + -ing ¹ )

C16: from up (in the archaic sense: to catch and mark a swan)

This process was called “swan upping,” corrupted generally into “swan hopping.”

The young cygnets were marked at the annual festival of “swan-upping,” at which the City magnates used hugely to enjoy themselves.

The time-honoured brutality of swan-upping is now mitigated by law, its cruelty being obvious.

This is called "swan-upping," and a good time it used to be.

April 17, 2024axolotl

[ak-suh-lot-l ]

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