Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, 3rd person singular presenttense swots, present participle swotting, past tense, past participle swotted
1. verb
If you swot, you study very hard, especially when you are preparing for an examination.
[British, informal]
They swotted for their A levels. [VERB + for]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: study, revise, cram [informal], work More Synonyms of swot
Swot up means the same as swot.
...several hours spent swotting up on how to be a pop star. [VPon n]
The orchestra's been swotting up their Holst and Stravinsky. [VERBPARTICLE noun (not pronoun)]
2. countable noun
If you call someone a swot, you disapprove of the fact that they study extremely hard and are not interested in other things.
[British, informal, disapproval]
Synonyms: academic, intellectual, bookworm, egghead [informal] More Synonyms of swot
Phrasal verbs:
See swot up
swot in British English1
(swɒt) British informal
verbWord forms: swots, swotting or swotted
1. (often foll by up)
to study (a subject) intensively, as for an examination; cram
noun
2. Also called: swotter (ˈswɒtə)
a person who works or studies hard
3.
hard work or grind
Also called: swat
Word origin
C19: dialect variant of sweat (n)
swot in British English2
(swɒt)
noun, verbWord forms: swots, swotting or swotted
a variant of swat1
SWOT in British English
abbreviation for
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats: an analysis of a product made before it is marketed
swot in American English1
(swɑt)
British, Informal
verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: ˈswotted or ˈswotting
1.
to study hard; cram
often used with up
noun
2.
a person who studies hard; grind
often contemptuous
Derived forms
swotter (ˈswotter)
noun
Word origin
dial. var. of sweat
swot in American English2
(swɑt)
verb intransitive, nounWord forms: ˈswotted or ˈswotting
alt. sp. of
swat
Examples of 'swot' in a sentence
swot
It is the school swot versus the school bully.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I liked learning and was the school swot.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I was a little swot, and enjoyed learning.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
That is to say that I am at the school swot end of the driving spectrum.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
swot
British English: swot /swɒt/ VERB
If you swot, you study very hard, especially when you are preparing for an examination.
They swotted for their exams.
American English: cram study
Arabic: يَعْمَلُ باجتِهاد
Brazilian Portuguese: queimar as pestanas
Chinese: 用功读书
Croatian: štrebati
Czech: biflovat
Danish: terpe
Dutch: blokken studeren
European Spanish: empollar
Finnish: päntätä
French: bûcher
German: büffeln
Greek: μελετώ υπερβολικά
Italian: sgobbare
Japanese: ガリ勉する
Korean: 맹렬히 공부하다
Norwegian: pugge
Polish: wkuć
European Portuguese: queimar as pestanas
Romanian: a toci
Russian: зубрить
Latin American Spanish: empollar
Swedish: plugga
Thai: เรียนอย่างหนัก
Turkish: ineklemek
Ukrainian: зубрити
Vietnamese: học miệt mài
Chinese translation of 'swot'
swot
(swɔt)
n(c)
苦读(讀)的人 (kǔ dú de rén) (个(個), gè)
(verb)
Definition
to study (a subject) very hard, esp. for an exam
(informal)
They swotted hard for their exams.
Synonyms
study
The rehearsals make it difficult for her to study for her law exams.
revise
I have to revise maths tonight.
cram (informal)
She was cramming hard for her exam.
work
get up (informal)
pore over
bone up on (informal)
burn the midnight oil
mug up (British, slang)
toil over
apply yourself to
lucubrate (rare)
(noun)
Definition
a person who works or studies hard
derogatory)
He was a bit of a swot and excelled at school and university.
Synonyms
academic
He is an academic who believes in winning through argument.
intellectual
teachers, artists and other intellectuals
bookworm
egghead (informal)
The Government was dominated by self-important eggheads.
savant
The opinion of the savants on this issue is not united.
bluestocking usually derogatory)
acca (Australian, slang)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cram
Definition
to study hard just before an examination
She was cramming hard for her exam.
Synonyms
study,
revise,
swot (informal),
bone up (informal),
grind,
con,
swot up,
mug up (slang)
in the sense of egghead
Definition
an intellectual person
The Government was dominated by self-important eggheads.
Synonyms
expert,
genius,
guru,
inventor,
wizard,
mastermind,
intellect (informal),
boffin (British, informal),
rocket scientist (informal),
brain(s) (informal),
brainbox,
bluestocking (derogatory),
maven (US),
fundi (South Africa)
in the sense of intellectual
Definition
a person who has a highly developed intellect
teachers, artists and other intellectuals
Synonyms
academic,
expert,
genius,
thinker,
master,
brain (informal),
mastermind,
maestro,
boffin (British, informal),
highbrow,
rocket scientist (informal),
egghead (informal),
brainbox,
bluestocking (derogatory),
pointy-head (informal, US),
master-hand,
fundi (South Africa),
acca (Australian, slang)
Nearby words of
swot
swoop
swop
sword
swot
sybarite
sybaritic
sycophancy
Synonyms of 'swot'
swot
Explore 'swot' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of revise
Definition
to read (something) several times in order to learn it in preparation for an examination
I have to revise maths tonight.
Synonyms
study,
go over,
run through,
cram (informal),
memorize,
reread,
swot up on (British, informal)
in the sense of savant
Definition
a very wise and knowledgeable man
The opinion of the savants on this issue is not united.