Swan definition
Any of various large waterbirds of the genera Cygnus and Coscoroba of the family Anatidae, having webbed feet, a long slender neck, and usually white plumage.
noun
To travel around from place to place.
verb
To declare; swear. Used in the phrase I swan as an interjection.
verb
(brit., informal) To move slowly or majestically, with a calm, serene air.
verb
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(dial.) To swear.
verb
(figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
noun
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Any of several large-bodied, web-footed waterfowl (family Anatidae, esp. genus Cygnus) with a long, graceful neck and, typically, pure white feathers: swans are graceful swimmers and strong flyers.
noun
A person who resembles or is thought to resemble a swan in some way; sometimes, specif., a great poet or singer.
noun
the Swan
- the constellation Cygnus
idiom
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
the Swan
Origin of swan
- Probably alteration of dialectal (I) s' warrant (I) shall warrant
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English from Old English swen- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Old English swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz. Cognate with West Frisian swan, Low German Swaan, swan, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan, Swedish svan, probably literally "the singing bird," from a Proto-Indo-European base *swon-/*swen- "to sing, make sound". Related to Old English geswin (“melody, song") and swinsian (“to make melody").
From Wiktionary
- Probably from dialectal I s'wan, contraction of "I shall warrant"; later seen as a minced form of I swear.
From Wiktionary