swish Hear it!

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

swish Synonyms

swish

v.

swish Usage Examples

Object

  • tail: Typical reports describe the cat as being about 2 ' high, 3 ' long with along swishing tail.
  • sound: The turbine is silent except for a swishing sound in strong winds, says Stephens.
  • noise: Take note of fizzing sounds, swishing noise, faint sparks, white particles.

Converse of object

hear: She could hear the swish of Jamie's skis behind her.

Preposition: around

mouth: Sports drinks should be consumed as quickly as possible, preferably with a straw and not be held or swished around the mouth.

Modifies a noun

  • fx: Page 11 1 [ Inuyasha rushes forward drawing Tetsusaiga. ] fx Inuyasha swish fx Tetsusaiga shing Inuyasha Kagome!
  • apartment: Swish Apartment Ideally situated, within communal gardens, this modern, first floor apartment has been finished to a very high standard.
  • hotel: These days it's courting a more sophisticated crowd with swish new high-quality hotels.
  • restaurant: For instance, what happens if you decide to go to a swish expensive restaurant?
  • product: Phil comments, " I have used Swish products for years.
  • site: Trouble is I don't use the software anymore and can't be bothered to maintain an index of Swish sites.

Modifying Another Word

  • rather: Checked out my laptop with a rather swish Toshiba video projector for tomorrows meeting.
  • very: The site also has a very swish database of jobs.
  • about: At one stage, I could hear water swishing about, and, when I went to investigate, it was the horses drinking!
  • really: The changing rooms are really swish and there are free drinks and papers in the lounge bit.
  • back: Keep which ones you like and swish back the others.

Followed by an intransitive particle

around: Why don't you just put on a dress and swish around?

Followed by a transitive particle

down: We swish down 5th Avenue in her chauffeur-driven car, peering out of tinted windows at the streets.

Used with adjective complement

look: Well, we'll have a ' Links ' set with 2 presenters looking very swish.

Noun used with modifier

fx: This is definitely... 5 [ View of something in the mist ahead. ] fx air swish Inuyasha { off } !

Browse dictionary entries near swish

  1. swirly
  2. swirling
  3. swirl
  4. swiple
  5. swipes
  6. swipe
  7. swink
  8. swinish
  9. swingman
  10. swingletree
  1. swishy
  2. Swiss
  3. Swiss chard
  4. Swiss cheese
  5. Swiss franc
  6. Swiss Guards
  7. Swiss Market Index
  8. Swiss steak
  9. Swissy
  10. switch