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swish definition

swish (swis̸h)

intransitive verb

  1. to move with a sharp, hissing sound, as a cane swung through the air
  2. to move with a light, brushing sound, as skirts in walking
  3. Basketball to pass through the basket without hitting the hoop or backboard: said of a ball

Etymology: echoic

transitive verb

  1. to cause to swish
  2. to move (liquid), esp. in the mouth, with a light, hissing or gurgling sound swish the mouthwash around
  3. Basketball to cause (a ball) to swish

noun

  1. a hissing or rustling sound
  2. a movement, etc. that makes this sound
  3. Slang an effeminate male homosexual: a term of contempt and hostility

adjective

  1. Brit., Informal fashionable
  2. Slang of, like, or for effeminate male homosexuals: a term of contempt and hostility

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