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swervingmore about swerving

swerving

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Swerve  \Swerve\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Swerved};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Swerving}.]  [OE.  swerven,  AS  sweorfan  to  wipe  off  to  file, 
  to  polish;  akin  to  OFries  swerva  to  creep,  D.  zwerven  to 
  swerve,  to  rope,  OS  swerban  to  wipe  off  MHG.  swerben  to  be 
  whirled,  OHG.  swerban  to  wipe  off  Icel.  sverfa  to  file, 
  Goth.  swa['i]rban  (in  comp.)  to  wipe,  and  perhaps  to  E. 
  swarm.  Cf  {Swarm}.] 
  1.  To  stray;  to  wander;  to  rope.  [Obs.] 
 
  A  maid  thitherward  did  run,  To  catch  her  sparrow 
  which  from  her  did  swerve.  --Sir  P. 
  Sidney. 
 
  2.  To  go  out  of  a  straight  line  to  deflect.  ``The  point  [of 
  the  sword]  swerved.''  --Sir  P.  Sidney. 
 
  3.  To  wander  from  any  line  prescribed,  or  from  a  rule  or 
  duty;  to  depart  from  what  is  established  by  law,  duty, 
  custom,  or  the  like  to  deviate. 
 
  I  swerve  not  from  thy  commandments.  --Bk.  of  Com. 
  Prayer. 
 
  They  swerve  from  the  strict  letter  of  the  law. 
  --Clarendon. 
 
  Many  who  through  the  contagion  of  evil  example, 
  swerve  exceedingly  from  the  rules  of  their  holy 
  religion.  --Atterbury. 
 
  4.  To  bend;  to  incline.  ``The  battle  swerved.''  --Milton. 
 
  5.  To  climb  or  move  upward  by  winding  or  turning. 
 
  The  tree  was  high;  Yet  nimbly  up  from  bough  to  bough 
  I  swerved.  --Dryden. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  swerving 
  n  :  the  act  of  turning  aside  suddenly  [syn:  {swerve},  {veering}]




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