Related Searches
Nearby Words
Synonyms
Synonym Game
in
PLAY

swish

 [swish]   Origin

swish

   [swish]
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)
4.
to flourish, whisk, etc., with a swishing movement or sound: to swish a cane.
5.
to bring, take, cut, etc., with such a movement or sound: to swish off the tops of plants with a cane.
6.
to flog or whip.

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Swish is one of our favorite verbs.
So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:
to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.
to spend time idly; loaf.
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
noun
7.
a swishing movement or sound.
8.
a stock or rod for flogging or a stroke with this.
9.
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. an effeminate male homosexual.
adjective
10.
Slang. swishy (def. 2).
11.
Chiefly British Informal. stylishly elegant; fashionable.
Origin:
1750–60; imitative

Related forms
swish·er, noun
swish·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To swish
Collins
World English Dictionary
swish (swɪʃ)
 
—vb (foll by off)
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, rare (tr) to whip; flog
4.  to cut with a swishing blow
 
—n
5.  a hissing or rustling sound or movement
6.  a rod for flogging or a blow from such a rod
7.  slang (US) an effeminate male homosexual
8.  a W African building material composed of mortar and mud or laterite, or more recently of cement and earth
 
—adj
9.  informal chiefly (Brit) fashionable; smart
10.  slang (US) effeminate and homosexual
 
[C18: of imitative origin]
 
'swisher
 
—n
 
'swishing
 
—adj
 
'swishingly
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

swish
1756, probably imitative of the sound made by something brushing against or through something. The noun is from 1820; sense of "effeminate homosexual" is 1930s in homosexual slang, probably from notion of mincing motion.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

swish definition

[swɪʃ]
  1. mod.
    overly fancy; effeminate; displaying effeminacy. : The lobby of the theater was a little swish, but not offensive.
  2. n.
    elaborate decoration; effeminacy. : What this place needs is more swish. Hang some baubles here and there.
  3. n.
    a gay male. (Rude and derogatory.) : This place is full of swishes. Let's leave.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT