swift
swift Lexical Profile
swift Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity.
"The swift river currents made it too dangerous for the group to swim across."
Happening, coming, or done quickly or without delay; prompt.
"The government promised a swift response to the escalating environmental crisis."
• noun
Any of various small, fast-flying birds of the family Apodidae, characterized by long, pointed wings and a resemblance to swallows, known for spending the vast majority of their lives in the air.
"We watched the swifts darting across the evening sky as they hunted for aerial insects."
A rotating frame or cylinder used in textile crafts for holding hanks of yarn or wire as they are unwound.
"She carefully placed the delicate skein of wool onto the wooden swift before winding it into a ball."
• adverb
In a rapid, prompt, or unhesitating manner (often used in literary contexts or as a flat adverb).
"The majestic horse ran swift across the open meadow."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'swift' and 'fast' both denote high speed, 'swift' often implies smooth, fluid, or unhesitating motion, and is frequently preferred in formal, literary, or poetic contexts.
• Rhymes for swift
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'swift' (moving quickly), derived from the Proto-Germanic root '*swipaną' (to move, sweep), sharing a common origin with the English verb 'sweep'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.