Swift

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Adverb

CIDE DICTIONARY

Swift, a. [AS. swift; akin to swāpan to sweep, swipu a whip; cf. swīfan to move quickly, to revolve. See Swoop, v. i., and cf. Swivel, Squib.].

•  Moving a great distance in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy; prompt.  [1913 Webster]

  "My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."  [1913 Webster]

  "Swift of dispatch and easy of access."  [1913 Webster]

  "And bring upon themselves swift destruction."  [1913 Webster]
•  Of short continuance; passing away quickly.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  " Swift is often used in the formation of compounds which are generally self-explaining; as, swift-darting, swift-footed, swift-winged, etc."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Quick; fleet; speedy; rapid; expeditious.

Swift, adv. 

 Swiftly.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
"Ply swift and strong the oar."  [1913 Webster]

Swift, n. 

•  The current of a stream.  Walton.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any one of numerous species of small, long-winged, insectivorous birds of the family Micropodidæ. 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.  [1913 Webster]

  " The common European swift (Cypselus apus syn. 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 shriek owl. The common American, or chimney, swift (Chætura 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 (Chætura 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."  [1913 Webster]
•  Any one of several species of lizards, as the pine lizard.  [1913 Webster]
•  The ghost moth. See under Ghost.  [1913 Webster]
•  A reel, or turning instrument, for winding yarn, thread, etc.; -- used chiefly in the plural.  [1913 Webster]
•  The main card cylinder of a flax-carding machine.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Swift, adj., adv., & n.
--adj.
1 quick, rapid; soon coming or passing.
2 speedy, prompt (a swift response; was swift to act).
--adv. (archaic except in comb.) swiftly (swift-moving).
--n.
1 any swift-flying insect-eating bird of the family Apodidae, with long wings and a superficial resemblance to a swallow.
2 a revolving frame for winding yarn etc. from.

Derivative

swiftly adv. swiftness n.

Etymology

OE, rel. to swifan move in a course

THESAURUS

Swift

abrupt, agile, alacritous, alert, apt, breakneck, brief, brisk, cometary, cursory, dashing, decisive, dispatchful, double-quick, eagle-winged, electrifying, expeditious, express, fast, festinate, feverish, flashing, flat-out, fleet, flickering, flying, full tilt, furious, galloping, hair-trigger, hasty, headlong, hurried, hustling, immediate, impetuous, impulsive, instant, instantaneous, last-minute, light of heel, light-footed, lively, mercurial, meteoric, nerve-shattering, nimble, nimble-footed, on the spot, passing, precipitant, precipitate, precipitous, prompt, promptly, punctual, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, quickly, raking, rapid, rapidly, ready, reckless, running, sharp, shocking, short, short and sweet, short-term, short-termed, slap-bang, slapdash, smart, snap, snappy, spanking, speedily, speedy, spry, startling, sudden, summary, superficial, supersonic, surprising, swiftly, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, unlooked-for, unpredicted, urgent, winged

ROGET THESAURUS

Swift

Haste

N haste, urgency, despatch, dispatch, acceleration, spurt, spirt, forced march, rush, dash, speed, velocity, precipitancy, precipitation, precipitousness, impetuosity, brusquerie, hurry, drive, scramble, bustle, fuss, fidget, flurry, flutter, splutter, hasty, hurried, brusque, scrambling, cursory, precipitate, headlong, furious, boisterous, impetuous, hotheaded, feverish, fussy, pushing, in haste, in a hurry, in hot haste, in all haste, breathless, pressed for time, hard pressed, urgent, with haste, with all haste, with breathless speed, in haste, apace, amain, all at once, at short notice, immediately, posthaste, by cable, by express, by telegraph, by forced marches, hastily, precipitately, helter-skelter, hurry-skurry, holus-bolus, slapdash, slap-bang, full-tilt, full drive, heels over head, head and shoulders, headlong, a corps perdu, by fits and starts, by spurts, hop skip and jump, sauve qui peut, every man for himself, devil take the hindmost, no time to be lost, no sooner said than done, a word and a blow, haste makes waste, maggiore fretta minore atto, ohne Hast aber ohne Rast stand not upon the order, swift, swift, you dragons of the night, haste, urgency, despatch, dispatch, acceleration, spurt, spirt, forced march, rush, dash, speed, velocity, precipitancy, precipitation, precipitousness, impetuosity, brusquerie, hurry, drive, scramble, bustle, fuss, fidget, flurry, flutter, splutter, hasty, hurried, brusque, scrambling, cursory, precipitate, headlong, furious, boisterous, impetuous, hotheaded, feverish, fussy, pushing, in haste, in a hurry, in hot haste, in all haste, breathless, pressed for time, hard pressed, urgent, with haste, with all haste, with breathless speed, in haste, apace, amain, all at once, at short notice, immediately, posthaste, by cable, by express, by telegraph, by forced marches, hastily, precipitately, helter-skelter, hurry-skurry, holus-bolus, slapdash, slap-bang, full-tilt, full drive, heels over head, head and shoulders, headlong, a corps perdu, by fits and starts, by spurts, hop skip and jump, sauve qui peut, every man for himself, devil take the hindmost, no time to be lost, no sooner said than done, a word and a blow, haste makes waste, maggiore fretta minore atto, ohne Hast aber ohne Rast stand not upon the order, swift, swift, you dragons of the night.

Instantaneity

N instantaneity, instantaneousness, immediacy, suddenness, abruptness, moment, instant, second, minute, twinkling, trice, flash, breath, crack, jiffy, coup, burst, flash of lightning, stroke of time, epoch, time, time of day, time of night, hour, minute, very minute, very time, very hour, present time, right time, true time, exact correct time, instantaneous, momentary, sudden, immediate, instant, abrupt, discontinuous, precipitous, precipitant, precipitate, subitaneous, hasty, quick as thought, quick as lightning, quick as a flash, rapid as electricity, speedy, quick, fast, fleet, swift, lively, blitz, rapid (velocity), instantaneously, in no time, in less than no time, presto, subito, instanter, suddenly, at a stroke, like a shot, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, in the twinkling of an eye, in a trice, in one's tracks, right away, toute a l'heure, at one jump, in the same breath, per saltum, uno saltu, at once, all at once, plump, slap, at one fell swoop, at the same instant, immediately, extempore, on the moment, on the spot, on the spur of the moment, no sooner said than done, just then, slap-dash, touch and go, no sooner said than done.

Velocity

N velocity, speed, celerity, swiftness, rapidity, eagle speed, expedition, pernicity, acceleration, haste, spurt, rush, dash, race, steeple chase, smart rate, lively rate, swift rate, rattling rate, spanking rate, strapping rate, smart pace, lively pace, swift pace, rattling pace, spanking pace, strapping pace, round pace, flying, flight, lightning, greased lightning, light, electricity, wind, cannon ball, rocket, arrow, dart, hydrargyrum, quicksilver, telegraph, express train, torrent, eagle, antelope, courser, race horse, gazelle, greyhound, hare, doe, squirrel, camel bird, chickaree, chipmunk, hackee, ostrich, scorcher, Mercury, Ariel, Camilla, Harlequin, log, log line, speedometer, odometer, tachometer, strobe, radar speed detector, radar trap, air speed gauge, wind sock, wind speed meter, pedometer, fast, speedy, swift, rapid, quick, fleet, aliped, nimble, agile, expeditious, express, active, flying, galloping, light footed, nimble footed, winged, eagle winged, mercurial, electric, telegraphic, light-legged, light of heel, swift as an arrow, quick as lightning, quick as a thought, swiftly, with speed, apace, at a great rate, at full speed, at railway speed, full drive, full gallop, posthaste, in full sail, tantivy, trippingly, instantaneously, under press of sail, under press of canvas, under press of sail and steam, velis et remis, on eagle's wing, in double quick time, with rapid strides, with giant strides, a pas de geant, in seven league boots, whip and spur, ventre a terre, as fast as one's legs will carry one, as fast as one's heels will carry one, as fast as one can lay legs to the ground, at the top of one's speed, by leaps and bounds, with haste, vires acquirit eundo, I'll put a girdle about the earth in forty minutes, swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow, go like a bat out of hell, tempus fugit.