swim

[swim]

verb (used without object)

swam, swum, swimming. 

1. to move in water by movements of the limbs, fins, tail, etc.

2. to float on the surface of water or some other liquid.

3. to move, rest, or be suspended in air as if swimming in water.

4. to move, glide, or go smoothly over a surface.

5. to be immersed or steeped in or overflowing or flooded with a liquid.

   eyes swimming with tears.

6. to be dizzy or giddy; seem to whirl.

   My head began to swim.

verb (used with object)

swam, swum, swimming. 

1. to move along in or cross (a body of water) by swimming.

   to swim a lake.

2. to perform (a particular stroke) in swimming.

   to swim a sidestroke.

3. to cause to swim or float, as on a stream.

4. to furnish with sufficient water to swim or float.

noun

1. an act, instance, or period of swimming.

2. a motion as of swimming; a smooth, gliding movement.

swim

/ swɪm /

verb

1. (intr) to move along in water, etc, by means of movements of the body or parts of the body, esp the arms and legs, or (in the case of fish) tail and fins

2. (tr) to cover (a distance or stretch of water) in this way

3. (tr) to compete in (a race) in this way

4. (intr) to be supported by and on a liquid; float

5. (tr) to use (a particular stroke) in swimming

6. (intr) to move smoothly, usually through air or over a surface

7. (intr) to reel or seem to reel

   my head swam

   the room swam around me

8. (intr; often foll by in or with) to be covered or flooded with water or other liquid

9. to be liberally supplied (with)

   he's swimming in money

10. (tr) to cause to float or swim

11. (tr) to provide (something) with water deep enough to float in

12. to resist prevailing opinion

13. to conform to prevailing opinion

noun

1. the act, an instance, or period of swimming

2. any graceful gliding motion

3. a condition of dizziness; swoon

4. a pool in a river good for fishing

5. informal,  fashionable or active in social or political activities

Other Word Forms

• swimming noun
• swimmable adjective
• swimmer noun
• nonswimmer noun
• outswim verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of swim¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English swimmen, Old English swimman; cognate with Dutch zwemmen, German schwimmen, Old Norse svimma

Word History and Origins

Origin of swim¹

Old English swimman; related to Old Norse svima, German schwimmen, Gothic swumsl pond, Norwegian svamla to paddle

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the swim, alert to or actively engaged in events; in the thick of things.

   Despite her age, she is still in the swim.

More idioms and phrases containing swim

• in the swim
• sink or swim

Example Sentences

The home’s huge swimming pool has also been outfitted with multiple sun loungers and umbrellas to provide yet another area in which to entertain guests or simply to soak up some rays in privacy.

Read more on MarketWatch

At a nursery in Machen, childcare was a big concern for the staff, but so was the closure of the swimming pool in Bedwas.

Read more on BBC

Earlier in 2024, Essex County Council stressed it did not provide swimming equipment after a sign suggesting it would hand out flippers, masks and snorkels appeared at an underpass near the city centre.

Read more on BBC

But in 2021, a low-level National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration bureaucrat banned anyone from swimming within 50 yards of Hawaiian spinner dolphins.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I played every sport growing up — soccer, football, basketball, golf, tennis, rugby, swimming,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bathe 
• crawl 
• dive 
• float 
• glide 
• paddle 
• submerge 
• wade