swim
verb /swɪm/
/swɪm/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they swim | /swɪm/ /swɪm/ |
| he / she / it swims | /swɪmz/ /swɪmz/ |
| past simple swam | /swæm/ /swæm/ |
| past participle swum | /swʌm/ /swʌm/ |
| -ing form swimming | /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] (of a person or animal) to move through water by moving your arms and legs, without touching the bottom
- I can't swim.
- The boys swam across the lake.
- We swam out (= away from land) to the yacht.
- They spent the day swimming and sunbathing.
- I've only just learned to swim.
- I have always found it easy to swim underwater.
- They are too far out to swim to shore.
- swim something Can you swim backstroke yet?
- How long will it take her to swim the Channel?
Which Word? bath / bathe / swim / sunbathebath / bathe / swim / sunbathe- When you wash yourself you can say that you bath (British English) or bathe (North American English), but it is much more common to say have a bath (British English) or take a bath (North American English).
- You can also bath (British English) or bathe (North American English) another person, for example a baby.
- You bathe a part of your body, especially to clean a wound.
- When you go swimming it is old-fashioned to say that you bathe, and you cannot say that you bath or take a bath. It is more common to use swim, go for a swim, have a swim or go swimming:
- Let’s go for a quick swim in the pool.
- She goes swimming every morning before breakfast.
- When you lie in the sun in order to go brown you sunbathe.
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: water sportsa1- Exhausted, they swam ashore.
- He can't swim well.
- to swim in the sea
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- strongly
- vigorously
- well
- …
- can
- know how to
- learn (how) to
- …
- across
- in
- to
- …
- go swimming
- [intransitive]go swimmingto spend time swimming for pleasure
- I go swimming twice a week.
- We always went swimming together in our indoor pool.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- strongly
- vigorously
- well
- …
- can
- know how to
- learn (how) to
- …
- across
- in
- to
- …
- go swimming
- [intransitive] (of a fish, etc.) to move through or across water
- Sharks must swim or die.
- swim + adv./prep. A shoal of fish swam past.
- Ducks were swimming around on the river.
- A beaver swam vigorously upstream.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- strongly
- vigorously
- well
- …
- can
- know how to
- learn (how) to
- …
- across
- in
- to
- …
- go swimming
- [intransitive] (usually be swimming)to be covered with a lot of liquid
- swim (in something) The main course was swimming in oil.
- swim (with something) Her eyes were swimming with tears.
- [intransitive] (of objects, etc.) to seem to be moving around, especially when you are ill or drunk
- The pages swam before her eyes.
- [intransitive] to feel confused and/or as if everything is turning round and round
- His head swam and he swayed dizzily.
Word OriginOld English swimman (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zwemmen and German schwimmen.
Idioms
sink or swim
- to be in a situation where you will either succeed by your own efforts or fail completely
- The new students were just left to sink or swim.
- In a situation like this, you either sink or swim.