7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Swift  \Swift\,  adv 
  Swiftly.  [Obs.  or  Poetic]  --Shak. 
 
  Ply  swift  and  strong  the  oar.  --Southey. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Swift  \Swift\,  n. 
  1.  The  current  of  a  stream.  [R.]  --Walton. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  small 
  long-winged,  insectivorous  birds  of  the  family 
  {Micropodid[ae]}.  In  form  and  habits  the  swifts  resemble 
  swallows,  but  they  are  destitute  of  complex  vocal  muscles 
  and  are  not  singing  birds,  but  belong  to  a  widely 
  different  group  allied  to  the  humming  birds. 
 
  Note:  The  common  European  swift  ({Cypselus,  or  Micropus, 
  apus})  nests  in  church  steeples  and  under  the  tiles  of 
  roofs,  and  is  noted  for  its  rapid  flight  and  shrill 
  screams.  It  is  called  also  {black  martin},  {black 
  swift},  {hawk  swallow},  {devil  bird},  {swingdevil}, 
  {screech  martin},  and  {shreik  owl}.  The  common 
  American,  or  chimney,  swift  ({Ch[ae]tura  pelagica})  has 
  sharp  rigid  tips  to  the  tail  feathers.  It  attaches  its 
  nest  to  the  inner  walls  of  chimneys,  and  is  called  also 
  {chimney  swallow}.  The  Australian  swift  ({Ch[ae]tura 
  caudacuta})  also  has  sharp  naked  tips  to  the  tail 
  quills.  The  European  Alpine  swift  ({Cypselus  melba})  is 
  whitish  beneath,  with  a  white  band  across  the  breast. 
  The  common  Indian  swift  is  {Cypselus  affinis}.  See  also 
  {Palm  swift},  under  {Palm},  and  {Tree  swift},  under 
  {Tree}. 
 
  3.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  several  species  of  lizards,  as  the 
  pine  lizard. 
 
  4.  (Zo["o]l.)  The  ghost  moth.  See  under  {Ghost}. 
 
  5.  [Cf.  {Swivel}.]  A  reel,  or  turning  instrument,  for  winding 
  yarn,  thread,  etc.;  --  used  chiefly  in  the  plural. 
 
  6.  The  main  card  cylinder  of  a  flax-carding  machine. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Swift  \Swift\,  a.  [Compar.  {Swifter};  superl.  {Swiftest}.]  [AS. 
  swift;  akin  to  sw[=a]pan  to  sweep,  swipu  a  whip;  cf 
  sw[=i]fan  to  move  quickly,  to  revolve.  See  {Swoop},  v.  i., 
  and  cf  {Swivel},  {Squib}.] 
  1.  Moving  a  great  distance  in  a  short  time;  moving  with 
  celerity  or  velocity;  fleet;  rapid;  quick;  speedy;  prompt. 
 
  My  beloved  brethren,  let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear, 
  slow  to  speak,  slow  to  wrath.  --James  i.  19. 
 
  Swift  of  dispatch  and  easy  of  access  --Dryden. 
 
  And  bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruction.  --2 
  Pet.  ii  1. 
 
  2.  Of  short  continuance;  passing  away  quickly.  --Shak. 
 
  Note:  Swift  is  often  used  in  the  formation  of  compounds  which 
  are  generally  self-explaining;  as  swift-darting, 
  swift-footed,  swift-winged,  etc 
 
  Syn:  Quick;  fleet;  speedy;  rapid;  expeditious. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pine  \Pine\,  n.  [AS.  p[=i]n,  L.  pinus.] 
  1.  (Bot.)  Any  tree  of  the  coniferous  genus  {Pinus}.  See 
  {Pinus}. 
 
  Note:  There  are  about  twenty-eight  species  in  the  United 
  States,  of  which  the  {white  pine}  ({P.  Strobus}),  the 
  {Georgia  pine}  ({P.  australis}),  the  {red  pine}  ({P. 
  resinosa}),  and  the  great  West  Coast  {sugar  pine}  ({P. 
  Lambertiana})  are  among  the  most  valuable.  The  {Scotch 
  pine}  or  {fir},  also  called  {Norway}  or  {Riga  pine} 
  ({Pinus  sylvestris}),  is  the  only  British  species.  The 
  {nut  pine}  is  any  pine  tree,  or  species  of  pine,  which 
  bears  large  edible  seeds.  See  {Pinon}.  The  spruces, 
  firs,  larches,  and  true  cedars,  though  formerly 
  considered  pines,  are  now  commonly  assigned  to  other 
  genera. 
 
  2.  The  wood  of  the  pine  tree. 
 
  3.  A  pineapple. 
 
  {Ground  pine}.  (Bot.)  See  under  {Ground}. 
 
  {Norfolk  Island  pine}  (Bot.),  a  beautiful  coniferous  tree, 
  the  {Araucaria  excelsa}. 
 
  {Pine  barren},  a  tract  of  infertile  land  which  is  covered 
  with  pines.  [Southern  U.S.] 
 
  {Pine  borer}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  beetle  whose  larv[ae]  bore  into 
  pine  trees. 
 
  {Pine  finch}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Pinefinch},  in  the  Vocabulary. 
 
 
  {Pine  grosbeak}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  large  grosbeak  ({Pinicola 
  enucleator}),  which  inhabits  the  northern  parts  of  both 
  hemispheres.  The  adult  male  is  more  or  less  tinged  with 
  red. 
 
  {Pine  lizard}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  small  very  active,  mottled  gray 
  lizard  ({Sceloporus  undulatus}),  native  of  the  Middle 
  States;  --  called  also  {swift},  {brown  scorpion},  and 
  {alligator}. 
 
  {Pine  marten}.  (Zo["o]l.) 
  a  A  European  weasel  ({Mustela  martes}),  called  also 
  {sweet  marten},  and  {yellow-breasted  marten}. 
  b  The  American  sable.  See  {Sable}. 
 
  {Pine  moth}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  one  of  several  species  of  small 
  tortricid  moths  of  the  genus  {Retinia},  whose  larv[ae] 
  burrow  in  the  ends  of  the  branchlets  of  pine  trees,  often 
  doing  great  damage. 
 
  {Pine  mouse}  (Zo["o]l.),  an  American  wild  mouse  ({Arvicola 
  pinetorum}),  native  of  the  Middle  States.  It  lives  in  pine 
  forests. 
 
  {Pine  needle}  (Bot.),  one  of  the  slender  needle-shaped  leaves 
  of  a  pine  tree.  See  {Pinus}. 
 
  {Pine-needle  wool}.  See  {Pine  wool}  (below). 
 
  {Pine  oil},  an  oil  resembling  turpentine,  obtained  from  fir 
  and  pine  trees,  and  used  in  making  varnishes  and  colors. 
 
 
  {Pine  snake}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  large  harmless  North  American 
  snake  ({Pituophis  melanoleucus}).  It  is  whitish,  covered 
  with  brown  blotches  having  black  margins.  Called  also 
  {bull  snake}.  The  Western  pine  snake  ({P.  Sayi})  is 
  chestnut-brown,  mottled  with  black  and  orange. 
 
  {Pine  tree}  (Bot.),  a  tree  of  the  genus  {Pinus};  pine. 
 
  {Pine-tree  money},  money  coined  in  Massachusetts  in  the 
  seventeenth  century,  and  so  called  from  its  bearing  a 
  figure  of  a  pine  tree. 
 
  {Pine  weevil}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  one  of  numerous  species  of 
  weevils  whose  larv[ae]  bore  in  the  wood  of  pine  trees. 
  Several  species  are  known  in  both  Europe  and  America, 
  belonging  to  the  genera  {Pissodes},  {Hylobius},  etc 
 
  {Pine  wool},  a  fiber  obtained  from  pine  needles  by  steaming 
  them  It  is  prepared  on  a  large  scale  in  some  of  the 
  Southern  United  States,  and  has  many  uses  in  the  economic 
  arts;  --  called  also  {pine-needle  wool},  and  {pine-wood 
  wool}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  swift 
  adj  :  moving  very  fast  "fleet  of  foot";  "the  fleet  scurrying  of 
  squirrels";  "a  swift  current";  "swift  flight  of  an 
  arrow";  "a  swift  runner"  [syn:  {fleet}] 
  n  1:  an  Anglo-Irish  satirist  (1667-1745)  [syn:  {Swift},  {Jonathan 
  Swift}] 
  2:  small  plain-colored  bird  that  resembles  a  swallow  and  is 
  noted  for  its  rapid  flight 
  3:  common  western  lizard;  seen  on  logs  or  rocks  [syn:  {western 
  fence  lizard},  {blue-belly},  {Sceloporus  occidentalis}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Swift,  MN 
  Zip  code(s):  56682 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  SWIFT 
  Society  for  Worldwide  Interbank  Financial  Telecommunication  (org.,  banking) 
 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words