n.
Pronunciation: ' swim
Function: verb
Inflected Form: swam \ ' swam \ ; swum \ ' sw ə m \ ; swim · ming
Etymology: Middle English swimmen, from Old English swimman; akin to Old High German swimman to swim
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1 a : to propel oneself in water by natural means (as movements of the limbs, fins, or tail) b : to play in the water (as at a beach or swimming pool)
2 : to move with a motion like that of swimming : GLIDE <a cloud swam slowly across the moon>
3 a : to float on a liquid : not sink b : to surmount difficulties : not go under <sink or swim , live or die, survive or perish ― Daniel Webster>
4 : to become immersed in or flooded with or as if with a liquid <potatoes swimming in gravy>
5 : to have a floating or reeling appearance or sensation
transitive verb
1 a : to cross by propelling oneself through water < swim a stream> b : to execute in swimming
2 : to cause to swim or float
– swim · mer noun