Illustration of swan
- swan 1
swan
1 of 3noun
ˈswän 
plural swans
1
plural also swan : any of various large heavy-bodied long-necked mostly pure white aquatic birds (family Anatidae, especially genus Cygnus) that have webbed feet and are related to but larger than the geese
2
: one that resembles or is likened to a swan
3
capitalized : the constellation Cygnus
swan
2 of 3verb (1)
swanned; swanning
intransitive verb
: to wander aimlessly or idly : dally
swan
3 of 3verb (2)
swanned; swanning
intransitive verb
dialect
: declare, swear
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle High German swan and perhaps to Latin sonus sound — more at sound entry 1
Verb (2)
perhaps euphemism for swear
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
1942, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1784, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing swan
Kids Definition
swan
noun
ˈswän
: a usually white waterbird that has a long neck and large body and is related to but larger than the goose
Geographical Definition
Swan
geographical name
ˈswän
variants or in its upper course Avon
ˈa-vən
river about 240 miles (386 kilometers) long in southwestern Western Australia flowing west into the Indian Ocean
swans
verb
as in strolls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- strolls
- monkeys
- ambles
- saunters
- loiters
- truants
- moseys
- malingers
- lingers
- fools
- rests
- estivates
- tarries
- goldbricks
- lags
- bums
- hibernates
- trifles
- aestivates
- relaxes
- messes
- dozes
- loafs
- furloughs
- pokes
- mucks
- drones
- piddles
- lazes
- lounges
- hangs about
- lazies
- plays
- footles
- idles
- kicks back
- veges out
- lolls
- fiddles (around)
- dawdles
- chills
- vegges out
- dillydallies
- potters (around)
- putters (around)
- dallies
- goofs (off)
- kicks around
- hangs (around or out)
- hacks (around)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- slaves
- humps
- plows
- grubs
- works
- plugs
- labors
- pegs
- sweats
- toils
- plods
- drudges
- buckles (down)
- hustles
- applies
- grinds
- travails
- moils
- exerts
- puts out
- decoic acid
- decoke
- decoked
- decokes
- decoking
- decollate
- decollated
- decollates
- decollating
- decollation
- decollations
- decollator
- decollators
- decollectivizations
- decollectivized
- decollectivizes
- decollectivizing
- decolletages
- decollete
- decolletes
- decolonisation
- decolonisations
- decolonise
- decolonised
- decolonises