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View synonyms for swish

swish

[ swish ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to move with or make a sibilant sound, as a slender rod cutting sharply through the air or as small waves washing on the shore.
  2. to rustle, as silk.
  3. to move or behave in an exaggeratedly effeminate manner.


verb (used with object)

  1. to flourish, whisk, etc., with a swishing movement or sound:

    to swish a cane.

  2. to bring, take, cut, etc., with such a movement or sound:

    to swish off the tops of plants with a cane.

  3. to flog or whip.

noun

  1. a swishing movement or sound.
  2. a stock or rod for flogging or a stroke with this.
  3. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to an effeminate gay man.

adjective

  1. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. swishy ( def 2 ).
  2. Chiefly British Informal. stylishly elegant; fashionable.

swish

/ swɪʃ /

verb

  1. to move with or make or cause to move with or make a whistling or hissing sound
  2. intr (esp of fabrics) to rustle
  3. slang.
    tr to whip; flog
  4. trfoll byoff to cut with a swishing blow
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. a hissing or rustling sound or movement
  2. a rod for flogging or a blow from such a rod
  3. slang.
    an effeminate male homosexual
  4. a W African building material composed of mortar and mud or laterite, or more recently of cement and earth
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. informal.
    fashionable; smart
  2. slang.
    effeminate and homosexual
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈswishing, adjective
  • ˈswisher, noun
  • ˈswishingly, adverb
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Other Words From

  • swish·er noun
  • swish·ing·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of swish1

First recorded in 1750–60; imitative
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Word History and Origins

Origin of swish1

C18: of imitative origin
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Example Sentences

Place them in a bowl and cover with very cold water, using your hands to swish them around.

Henry launched a lid-lifting three-point shot from out front on the first possession, and it swished.

Ever an overachiever, I swished it around about 20 times, and it tickled.

Imagine if the swishing threads inside your jeans pocket could charge your cell phone.

Star center Nikola Jokić’s one-legged, leaning fadeaways, which nearly touch the rafters before swishing through, would get the “Sport Science” treatment.

SB Nation and their Swish Appeal site do a pretty bang-up job, as well.

Odds are, you expected Jackson to swish all three, but first freebie dribbled off the front of the rim and suddenly, hope renewed!

In Kavala Graha, you use a smaller amount of oil, swish between the teeth, and gargle at the back of the throat.

Caldecott says that if you swish oil for too long, you could accidentally breathe some into your lungs.

Swish it, especially around the cheeks and upper palate, and pull it through your teeth.

The swish of a skirt seemed ridiculously loud in the hush, and the scratching of the judge's quill pen was noisily irritating.

"Here's Kitty," said the maker of mineral waters, as there was the swish of a skirt at the door.

Suddenly they parted, with quick swish and rapid rustling of leaves, and the next moment appeared a wonderful vision.

Three sounds of increase: the lowing of a cow in milk; the din of a smithy; the swish of a plough.

Suddenly we heard the swish of a dress behind, and turned, conscience-stricken, though we had in nothing sinned.

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