swishn.2
/swɪʃ/, U.S. /swɪʃ/, West African English /swiʃ/ A native mortar of West Africa. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > cement or mortar > [noun] > other kinds of cement or mortar
maltha?1440
testacyec1440
putty1472
tarras1612
natural cement1753
Roman cement1768
sand mortar1775
Roman cement1800
Parker's cement1811
mastic cement1815
gauge-stuff1823
Portland cement1824
putty cement1825
rust cement1830
matrix1838
terro-cement1838
rust1839
swish1863
Coaguline1868
albolith1870
dagga1878
mastic1881
tripolith1882
grappier1897
pozzolana cement1905
Ciment Fondu1924
snowcrete1928
soil-cement1936
1863 R. F. Burton Wanderings W. Afr. II. 240 The town is filled with deep holes, from which the sand mixed with swish for walls has been dug.
1879 R. F. Burton Personal Narr. Pilgrimage to El-Medinah (ed. 3) xiii. 174 He sees a plain like swish-work [1855 tamp-work], where knobs of granite act daisies.
1881 Standard 12 Nov. 5/1 The ‘swish’ used in ordinary houses is simply red earth worked up with water until it thus acquires a certain degree of tenacity.
1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 113 The swish huts of the Effiks.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
swishadj.
/swɪʃ/, U.S. /swɪʃ/ colloquial.
Smart, elegant, fashionable.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > fashionableness > [adjective] > smart
gallantc1420
galliard1513
fine1526
trickly1580
pink1598
genteel1601
sparkful1605
sparkish1657
jaunty1662
spankinga1666
shanty1685
trig1725
smartish1738
distinguished1748
nobby1788
dashing1801
vaudy1805
swell1810
distingué1813
dashy1822
nutty1823
chic1832
slicked1836
flash1838
rakish1840
spiffy1853
smart1860
sassy1861
classy1870
spiffing1872
toffish1873
tony1877
swish1879
hep1899
toffy1901
hip1904
toppy1905
in1906
floozy1911
swank1913
jazz1917
ritzy1919
smooth1920
snappy1925
snazzy1931
groovy1937
what ho1937
gussy1940
criss1954
high camp1954
sprauncy1957
James Bondish1966
James Bond1967
schmick1972
designer1978
atas1993
as fine as fivepence-
1879 Notes & Queries 5th. Ser. XI. 116 Provincialisms..in the neighbourhood of Lydford... Bain't you swish? = How smart you are.
1922 E. Raymond Tell England II. xi. 269 Really, under these conditions, the Peninsula, we felt, would be quite ‘swish’.
1922 E. Raymond Tell England II. xii. 273 ‘If I'm killed you can put those lines over me.’.. ‘They are rather swish,’ I murmured.
1933 W. H. Auden Witnesses in Listener 12 July (Suppl.) p. ii/1 He was born in a palace, his people were swish.
1960 Guardian 14 July 7/7 A party at a swish place with the best people.
1972 Daily Tel. 7 Jan. (Colour Suppl.) 7/1 He..is a lover of the sea, food, lilies, the Old Vic, and swish cars: he is contemplating the purchase of a £5,380 Mercedes 350SL Coupé.
1974 P. Dickinson Poison Oracle ii. 60 The architects..had made their name running up swish hotels in Beirut.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
swishv.
/swɪʃ/, U.S. /swɪʃ/ 1. intransitive. To move with a swish (see swish n.1 1); to make the sound expressed by ‘swish’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > move in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move with swish
swish1756
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [verb (intransitive)] > rushing sibilant sound > swish
whish1565
whush1581
swish1756
whoosh1856
swoosh1867
hish1893
shush1975
1756 E. Perronet Mitre i. liii. 13 Next see two huge Academies:..With these conjoin a thousand more, Of vaulted roof, or humble floor;..Where swish the rods or whirl the toys.
1861 G. H. Kingsley in F. Galton Vacation Tourists & Trav. 1860 116 The rain pattering against the window-panes, and the birches outside swishing and rasping against the walls.
1861 O. W. Holmes Elsie Venner x. 107 The rustic who was..swishing through the grass with his scythe.
1877 W. Black Green Pastures xviii. 147 The wheels swished through the pools.
1885 Chambers's Jrnl. 15 Aug. 515/2 The water swishing amongst the pebbles at the far end of the cove.
1898 G. W. Steevens With Kitchener to Khartum 146 The bullets were swishing and lashing now like rain on a pond.
2.
a. transitive. To cause to move with a swish; esp. to whisk (the tail) about.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > move in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > move with a swish
swish1799
swish1854
the world > animals > by habits or actions > habits and actions > [verb (transitive)] > wag tail
fawna1400
waga1425
swinge1605
swish1799
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > make sibilant [verb (transitive)] > swish > cause to move with
swish1799
1799 S. T. Coleridge & R. Southey Devil's Thoughts in Morning Post & Gazetteer 6 Sept. And backward and forward he swish'd his long tail, As a Gentleman swishes his cane.
1862 G. J. Whyte-Melville Inside Bar 347 I confess I have no great confidence in a thorough-bred mare, that swishes her tail a good deal in harness.
1880 R. Jefferies Greene Ferne Farm 263 Swishing the briar, which bent easily.
b. intransitive (const. with).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > move in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > move with a swish
swish1799
swish1854
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [verb (intransitive)] > rushing sibilant sound > swish > cause to move with
swish1854
1854 P. B. St. John Amy Moss 106 As he advanced swishing before him with a stick he had picked up.
1866 R. D. Blackmore Cradock Nowell xix He swished away very hard with the broom the moment he saw such a visitor.
c. transitive. To move or remove with (or as with) a swishing movement.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > move in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > move with a swish > move (a thing or person) with a swishing movement
swish1894
1894 Daily News 25 Sept. 5/6 80,000 men equipped as a modern army cannot be swished about in the sort of way that is assumed in these discussions.
1904 A. St. H. Gibbons Africa I. v. 59 We were again swished downstream at the rate of some ten miles an hour.
3. intransitive. To jump a high hedge, brushing through the twigs at the top and making them bend. Also to swish a rasper (see Eng. Dial. Dict.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > leaping, springing, or jumping > leap, spring, or jump [verb (intransitive)] > over a hedge so as to brush it
to switch a rasper1836
swish1864
1825 H. T. Alken National Sports Great Brit. (1903) Pl. 15 Swishing at a Rasper.
1864 G. A. Lawrence Maurice Dering II. 22 Breaking through the irregular line [of the enemy]..as they would have ‘swished’ through a bulfinch in the Shires.
4. transitive. To flog, esp. at school.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > administer corporal punishment [verb (transitive)] > beat
threshOE
beatc1000
to lay on?c1225
chastise1362
rapa1400
dressc1405
lack?c1475
paya1500
currya1529
coil1530
cuff1530
baste1533
thwack1533
lick1535
firka1566
trounce1568
fight1570
course1585
bumfeage1589
feague1589
lamback1589
lambskin1589
tickle1592
thrash1593
lam1595
bumfeagle1598
comb1600
fer1600
linge1600
taw1600
tew1600
thrum1604
feeze1612
verberate1614
fly-flap1620
tabor1624
lambaste1637
feak1652
flog1676
to tan (a person's) hide1679
slipper1682
liquora1689
curry-comb1708
whack1721
rump1735
screenge1787
whale1790
lather1797
tat1819
tease1819
larrup1823
warm1824
haze1825
to put (a person) through a course of sprouts1839
flake1841
swish1856
hide1875
triangle1879
to give (a person or thing) gyp1887
soak1892
to loosen (a person's) hide1902
1856 W. M. Thackeray Fashionable Authoress in Misc. II. 470 Doctor Wordsworth and assistants would swish that error out of him in a way that need not here be mentioned.
1872 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 614/2 As he wouldn't tell he must be swished.
1875 Reynardson Down the Road 18 How he [sc. Dr. Keate] used to ‘swish’ a fellow if he caught him up at barracks!
1896 E. A. King Ital. Highways 339 One small boy is being horsed on the back of another and soundly swished.
5. To brush with a swishing sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > move or cause to move progressively in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > move lightly over or along > with a swishing sound
swish1889
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > make sibilant [verb (transitive)] > swish
swish1889
1889 The County xxx The long grass moistly swishes my petticoats.
Derivatives
swished adj.
ΚΠ
1833 Sporting Mag. Jan. 236/1 For the first few fences there was a big-looking powerful man on a swished-tailed good sort of horse,..swinging his arms like the sails of a windmill at every leap.
ˈswisher n. a flogger.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > [noun] > one who beats
beater1483
lambacker1593
breecher1611
trouncerc1630
flaybreech1671
flogger1708
drubbera1721
thrasher?1853
swisher1884
1884 E. Yates Recoll. & Experiences I. ii. 64 A desperate swisher the doctor.
ˈswishing adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [adjective] > making sibilant rushing sound > swish
swishy1828
swishing1860
swooshy1967
1860 W. M. Thackeray 100 Years Hence in Roundabout Papers (1861) 137 Here are the scourges. Choose me a nice long, swishing, buddy one.
1869 C. Gibbon Robin Gray vii The brig was cutting through the water with a swishing sound.
1891 I. Zangwill Bachelor's Club 181 Large banks of clouds..melted into swishing showers.
1898 J. B. Wollocombe From Morn till Eve vii. 83 The leading crew, with a long swishing stroke, pass the barges.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
swishadv.n.1
/swɪʃ/, U.S. /swɪʃ/ A. adv. or int.
Expressive of the sound made by the kind of movement defined in B. 1; with a swish. Also reduplicated swish, swish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [interjection] > swish
whish1535
swish, swish1833
swish1837
shshsh1847
swoosh1924
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [adverb] > rushing sibilant sound > swish
swish, swish1833
swish1837
swish-swash1865
1837 T. Hood Agric. Distress 35 When swish! in bolts our bacon-hog Atwixt the legs o' Master Blogg.
1890 Scribner's Mag. Nov. 565/2 Swish went the whip.
1899 S. R. Crockett Kit Kennedy 181 Swish-swish went Kit's feet through the dew-drenched grass.
a1911 in ‘G. A. Birmingham’ Lighter Side Irish Life (1912) iv. 72 So the executioner swung his sword and swish went poor John's [the Baptist's] head.
B. n.1
1.
a. A hissing sound like that produced by a switch or similar slender object moved rapidly through the air or an object moving swiftly in contact with water; movement accompanied by such sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > [noun] > swishing or swooshing
swish1820
swish, swish1833
swishing1860
whoosh1880
swoosh1885
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [noun] > rushing sibilant sound > swish
whish1808
swish1820
swish, swish1833
swishing1860
whoosh1880
swoosh1885
wheep1891
hish1893
whooshing1976
1820 J. Clare Poems Rural Life (ed. 3) 60 I'd just streak'd down, and with a swish Whang'd off my hat soak'd like a fish.
1862 C. Kingsley Water-babies iii, in Macmillan's Mag. Oct. 443/2 The salmon..went on..with a swish or two of his tail which made the stream boil again.
1862 J. Tyndall Mountaineering in 1861 vi. 45 The swish of many a minor streamlet mingled with the muffled roar of the large one.
1878 R. L. Stevenson Inland Voy. 200 The rhythmical swish of boat and paddle in the water.
1886 J. R. Rees Diversions of Book-worm iii. 95 The swish of the angler's rod.
1887 W. J. Knox-Little Broken Vow vi. 86 I drew the curtains away with a good swish behind the dressing~table.
1895 G. Meredith Amazing Marriage I. ix. 103 The willowy swish of silken dresses.
1896 ‘I. Maclaren’ Kate Carnegie 289 In my study I hear the swish of the scythe.
b. Reduplicated swish, swish or swish-swish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > [noun] > swishing or swooshing
swish1820
swish, swish1833
swishing1860
whoosh1880
swoosh1885
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [interjection] > swish
whish1535
swish, swish1833
swish1837
shshsh1847
swoosh1924
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [noun] > rushing sibilant sound > swish
whish1808
swish1820
swish, swish1833
swishing1860
whoosh1880
swoosh1885
wheep1891
hish1893
whooshing1976
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [adverb] > rushing sibilant sound > swish
swish, swish1833
swish1837
swish-swash1865
1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle's Log I. viii. 219 I heard the frequent swish-swish of the water, as they threw bucketfuls on the sails, to thicken them.
1894 A. Robertson Nuggets 61 The swish-swish of wild cats and the cries of opossums were heard.
1900 M. H. Grant Words by Eyewitness (1902) vii. 145 The incessant swish, swish of bullets.
c. A rough hiss heard at each revolution of a faulty gramophone record.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [noun] > on recording
scratch1908
surface noise1914
swish1949
sibilance1960
tape hiss1962
1949 G. A. Briggs Sound Reprod. xxi. 130 A background noise of even volume..is much more tolerable than a sudden or changing sound such as the click of a damaged surface or the swish of a warped record.
1978 Gramophone Jan. 1307/1 Background noise can be at remarkably low levels on disc—though admittedly in only the best examples, and with an ever-present risk of warps, swishes and other annoyances.
2. A ‘dash’ of water upon a surface.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of splashing > [noun] > an instance or the result of > upon a surface
swish1851
1851 G. H. Kingsley Sport & Trav. (1900) 524 So up we went..getting a shivering ‘swish’ of ice-cold water in our faces.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Swish, an old term for the light driving spray of the sea.
1879 W. Black White Wings xvii The brave White Dove goes driving through those heavy seas,..followed by a swish of water that rushes along the lee scuppers.
3. Short for swish-broom n., swish-tail n. at swish- comb. form .
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > brushing or sweeping > [noun] > brush or broom
besomc1000
bast broom1357
brush1377
broom14..
sweepc1475
duster1575
bristle brush1601
broom-besom1693
flag-broom1697
stock-brush1700
whisk1745
birch-broom1747
hair-broom1753
spry1796
corn-broomc1810
pope's head1824
whisker1825
sweeping-brusha1828
swish1844
spoke-brush1851
whisk broom1857
Turk's head1859
wisp1875
tube-brush1877
bass-broom?1881
crumb-brush1884
dusting-brush1907
palmetto brush1913
suede brush1915
swale1949
the world > animals > animal body > general parts > rump and tail > [noun] > tail > long flowing tail
whisk tail1675
swing-tail1683
sweep tail1686
switch tail1689
swish-tail1796
swish1844
whiptail1887
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 697 A neat swish is all that is requisite [for a draught-horse] at any time.
1873 E. Spon Workshop Receipts 1st Ser. 62/1 A small broom, termed a swish, made from the waste cuttings of cane.
1901 T. J. Alldridge Sherbro xxiii. 246 A Madeira mosquito swish, which was simply a horse's tail fastened to the end of a short stick.
4. A cane or birch for flogging; also, a stroke with this.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > [noun] > beating > a blow
rapc1330
cuff1570
lamback1592
scourge1741
tinglera1804
swish1860
whomp1970
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > instrument or place of corporal punishment > [noun] > cane
reedOE
cane1590
schoolrod1633
rattan1657
rattan cane1681
rattan stick1812
swish-whip1845
swish1860
swish-cane1891
starter1905
1860 Sat. Rev. 12 May 600/2 If he flogs, it is according..to a fixed tariff of ‘swishes’.
1885 G. Meredith Diana of Crossways II. xi. 243 A man who has not blessedly become acquainted with the swish in boyhood.
5. A homosexual man; an effeminate man. U.S. slang.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > man > [noun] > effeminate man
badlingeOE
milksopc1390
cockneyc1405
malkina1425
molla1425
weakling1526
tenderling1541
softling1543
niceling1549
woman-man1567
cocknel1570
effeminate1583
androgyne1587
meacock1590
mammaday1593
hermaphrodite1594
midwife1596
nimfadoro1600
night-sneaker1611
mock-mana1625
nan1670
she-man1675
petit maître1711
old woman1717
master-miss1754
Miss Molly1754
molly1785
squaw1805
mollycoddle1823
Miss Nancy1824
mollycot1826
molly mop1829
poof1833
Margery?c1855
ladyboy1857
girl1862
Mary Ann1868
sissy1879
milk1881
pretty-boy1881
nancy1888
poofter1889
Nancy Dawson1890
softie1895
puff1902
pussy1904
Lizzie1905
nance1910
quean1910
maricon1921
pie-face1922
bitch1923
Jessie1923
lily1923
tapette1923
pansy1926
nancy boy1927
nelly1931
femme1932
ponce1932
queerie1933
palone1934
queenie1935
girlie-man1940
swish1941
puss1942
wonk1945
mother1947
candy-ass1953
twink1953
cream puff1958
pronk1959
swishy1959
limp wrist1960
pansy-ass1963
weeny1963
poofteroo1966
mo1968
shim1973
twinkie1977
woofter1977
cake boy1992
hermaphrodite-
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual orientation > homosexuality > [noun] > a homosexual person > male
badlingeOE
nan1670
molly1708
Miss Molly1754
Miss Nancy1824
molly mop1829
poof1833
Margery?c1855
Mary Ann1868
pretty-boy1881
cocksucker1885
poofter1889
queer1894
fruit1895
fairy1896
homosexualist1898
puff1902
pussy1904
nance1910
quean1910
girl1912
faggot1913
mouser1914
queen1919
fag1921
gay boy1921
maricon1921
pie-face1922
bitch1923
Jessie1923
tapette1923
pansy1926
nancy boy1927
nelly1931
femme1932
ponce1932
punk1933
queerie1933
gobbler1934
jocker1935
queenie1935
iron1936
freak1941
swish1941
flit1942
tonk1943
wonk1945
mother1947
fruitcake1952
Mary1953
twink1953
swishy1959
limp wrist1960
arse bandit1961
leather man1961
booty bandit1962
ginger beer1964
bummer1965
poofteroo1966
shirtlifter1966
battyman1967
dick-sucker1968
mo1968
a friend of Dorothy1972
shim1973
gaylord1976
twinkie1977
woofter1977
bender1986
knob jockey1989
batty boy1992
cake boy1992
1941 B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? iv. 71 If..that fat swish lets the producer know he did all the writing, you're dead.
1967 L. Forrester Girl called Fathom xiv. 178 ‘I think he's a swish.’ ‘A—what?’ ‘Faggot. Queer.’
1975 J. F. Burke Death Trick (1976) iv. 62 [He] dresses mod, and he talks like some kind of a swish.
6. Cricket. A rapid or careless attacking stroke. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [noun] > types of stroke
long ball1744
nip1752
catch1816
no-hit1827
cut1833
short hit1833
draw1836
drive1836
square hit1837
skylarker1839
skyer1840
skyscraper1842
back-cut1845
bum1845
leg sweep1846
slog1846
square cut1850
driver1851
Harrow drive1851
leg slip1852
poke1853
snick1857
snorter1859
leg stroke1860
smite1861
on-drive1862
bump ball1864
rocketer1864
pull1865
grass trimmer1867
late cut1867
off-drive1867
spoon1871
push1873
push stroke1873
smack1875
Harrow drive1877
pull-stroke1880
leg glance1883
gallery-hit1884
boundary-stroke1887
glide1888
sweep1888
boundary1896
hook1896
leg glide1896
backstroke1897
flick1897
hook stroke1897
cover-drive1898
straight drive1898
square drive1900
edger1905
pull-drive1905
slash1906
placing stroke1907
push drive1912
block shot1915
if-shot1920
placing shot1921
cow-shot1922
mow1925
Chinese cut1937
haymaker1954
hoick1954
perhapser1954
air shot1956
steepler1959
mishook1961
swish1963
chop-
1963 Times 25 Feb. 4/1 He resorted at last to the swish, an invitation to the disaster which presently befell him.
1977 Daily Mirror 15 Mar. 31/3 The striking sequence that whistled young Hookes from 36 to 56 was as follows: An enormous one-bounce slog over mid-off; a swish to long leg [etc.].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
> see also
also refers to : swish-comb. form
<
n.21863adj.1879
v.1756adv.n.11820see also