I. ˈswish verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: imitative
intransitive verb
: to move, pass, swing, or whirl with the sound of a swish : make the sound of a swish
swished before me in a tight dress — Raymond Chandler
could hear cars swishing past on the main road — Elizabeth Taylor
windshield wipers swishing — John McCarten
transitive verb
1. : to move, pass, swing, or agitate with or as if with the sound of a swish : whisk
the saddled horse swishing its tail — James Courage
sipping water and swishing it about in the mouth — F.A.Geldard
2. : to cut or remove with or as if with a swish — used with off
swish off the tops of weeds with a sickle
3. : to strike or lash with a swish : flog
II. noun
( -es )
Etymology: imitative
1. also swish-swish ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷
a. : a prolonged hissing sound (as produced by a whip rapidly cutting the air)
the slow, steady swish of scythes — S.H.Holbrook
a far-off swish of surf — S.E.Morison
swish of tires — William Faulkner
poplars swayed and tossed with a roaring swish — Harvey Breit
b. : a light sweeping or brushing sound (as of a long or full silk skirt in motion)
the swish of drawing paper being unrolled — Angus McGugan
the swish of a mop — Virginia Woolf
2. : a movement accompanied by the sound of a swish
tails swung rhythmically except for occasional sudden swishes at flies — Elizabeth Janeway
3. : a flogging birch or cane : switch
smarting under recent applications of the swish — George Meredith
4.
[ swish (V) ]
: smartness , fashionableness
5.
[ swish (I) ; from his effeminate gait and gestures]
slang : homosexual ; especially : a male homosexual
III. adverb
Etymology: imitative
: with a swish
one day when the foliage all went swish with autumn — Robert Frost
IV. noun
( -es )
Etymology: origin unknown
: sun-dried earth used in West Africa as a building material
V. adjective
Etymology: English dialect, of unknown origin
: smart , fashionable
a swish gown
a swish automobile