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swift |
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)
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