swift
SWIFT
/swɪft/
Moving or capable of moving with great speed; happening quickly or promptly.
Often implies a smooth, effortless, and graceful speed, rather than the mechanical or aggressive speed of 'rapid'.
The story behind the word. Coming from the Old English 'swift', it shares a distant ancestor with the word 'swivel'. The original sense was about turning or moving in a specific direction with ease, which eventually evolved into the general sense of speed we use today.
Word relationships
- quick: Quick is more common and can refer to a brief moment, while swift suggests a sustained, smooth motion.
- slow: Slow is the general opposite, lacking the grace implied by swift.
Commonly confused with
- fast: Fast is the most general term; swift is more formal and often describes the manner of movement.
Word family
- swiftly (adverb): In a swift manner.
- swiftness (noun): The quality of being swift.
Collocations
- swift action
- swift recovery
- swift response
Idioms & expressions
- swift as an arrow
- a swift kick in the pants
Example sentences
- "The swift current of the river carried the leaves downstream before we could catch them." Describing a natural movement.
- "The swift is a bird that spends almost its entire life in the air, known for its incredible speed." A famous literary description of a bird.
Memory hook
Think of a 'Swift' bird—it doesn't just fly; it glides with effortless speed. Swift = Smooth and Fast.
When not to use
Avoid using for purely technical measurements of speed; use 'velocity' instead.
Fun facts
- The bird known as the 'Swift' can stay airborne for up to ten months without landing.
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