I. ˈswift adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old English swīfan to revolve, wend, sweep — more at swivel
1. : moving or capable of moving with great speed : characterized by rapidity of motion : rapidly running, flying, flowing
the swift flight of an arrow
making … a man a swift runner, a nimble climber, a strong swimmer — J.G.Frazer
the river's too deep to ford and too swift to swim — Willa Cather
2.
a. : taking place, done, or concluded within a very short time
northers sometimes bring a swift change from sunshine to howling blizzards — American Guide Series: Texas
shot a swift smile toward him in that instant
the swift achievement of goals in half the projected time
b. : changing abruptly in character : sudden
the plains end, and with a swift dramatic uprise the world of the mountains begins — Wynford Vaughan-Thomas
3.
a. : quick in execution or accomplishment : speedy in action or performance
better to be swift and casual than to be slow and thorough — Ellen Glasgow
must not search for penetrating or subtle characterization but rather for swift and arresting caricature — William Peden
b. : quick to respond : ready , alert , prompt
in her youth and prime … swift in affection, and swifter still for vengeance — William Baucke
afraid of rousing his swift and terrible anger
I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers — Mal 3:5 (Revised Standard Version)
Synonyms: see fast
II. adverb
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from swift (I)
: swiftly
swift to its close ebbs out life's little day — Henry Lyte
— often used in combination
swift -flowing
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: swift (I)
1. : one that is swift: as
a. : any of several lizards (as the pine lizard and others of the genus Sceloporus ) that run swiftly
b. : the rapid current of a stream
2.
a. : a reel for winding yarn or thread usually collapsible for removal or application of the skein
b. : one of the large cylinders covered with card cloth that carry forward the material in a carding machine ; also : a similar cylinder in other machines
c. : a tapering reel revolved on a vertical spindle and used for uncoiling wire
3. : any of numerous small plainly colored birds constituting the family Apodidae that are related to the hummingbirds and goatsuckers but superficially much resemble swallows, that have very long narrow wings, weak feet, and a short bill with a wide gape, that spend most of their time on the wing and when they alight usually cling to some vertical surface, that feed on insects taken on the wing, and that have nests cemented together with their sticky saliva and often attached by saliva to some vertical surface (as the inside of a hollow tree or the wall of a building, cave, or cliff) ; specifically : a common European bird ( Apus apus syn. Micropus apus ) noted for its shrieking notes, having a somewhat forked tail, and nesting chiefly in crevices about the eaves of buildings or on cliffs — compare chimney swift , swiftlet
4. : the sail of a windmill
5. or swift moth : ghost moth
6. also swift fox : kit fox
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English swiften, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse svipta to sweep off, reef, svīfa to ramble, turn, drift — more at swivel
Britain : swifter