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Definition: Swim |
SwimNoun1. The act of swimming. Verb1. Travel through water; "We had to swim for 20 minutes to reach the shore". 2. Be afloat; stay on a liquid surface; not sink. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "swim" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1200. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Literature | Swim (In the). In society. The upper crust of society. An angler's phrase. A lot of fish gathered together is called a swim, and when an angler can pitch his hook in such a place he is said to be "in a good swim." To know persons in the swim is to know society folk, who always congregate together. "Cottontree, who knows nearly everybody in the swim of European society ... informs him that Lucy Annerley is the daughter of Sir Jonas Stevens."- A.C. Gunter: Mr. Potter of Texas, book iii. chap. xiv. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Physics | Slow movement of the image which is caused by mains interference in the d. c. supply circuitry and which is reduced by careful screening and positioning of the components. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Swimming in general is the flotation of an object in a liquid due to its buoyancy or lift. In its more specific definition, swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. Swimming is a popular recreational activity, particularly in hot countries and in areas with natural watercourses. Swimming is also a competition sport. There are many health benefits of swimming, yet basic swimming skills and safety precautions are needed to participate in water activities.
The breaststroke.
Larger version
Swimming Purposes
Swimming and related waters ports are done for a number of purposes. Often, these purposes can overlap, and a recreational swimmer for example may also swim for health benefits.
Recreational
The most common reason for swimming is probably recreation, where the swimmer enters the water merely for enjoyment. Many swimming styles are suitable for recreational swimming. Most recreational swimmers prefer a style that keeps their head out of the water and uses an underwater arm recovery, for example Breaststroke, side stroke, or 'dog paddle'.
Swimming pools are popular venues for recreational swimming, as are beaches, lakes, swimming holes, creeks, rivers, and sometimes canals.
Competition
Competitive swimming is swimming with the goal to maximize performance, usually the speed of swimming. Competitive swimming became popular in the 19th century, and is an event at the Summer Olympic Games. There are four swimming disciplines regulated by the FINA, swum over different distances.
In addition to that there are a number of combination events in Competitive swimming.
- Freestyle places no restrictions on what action the competitors use, except during the freestyle portion of medley swimming. In practice, almost all freestyle events are swum using front crawl. Events are held at distances of 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m.
- Butterfly events require that the swimmer's actions retain bilateral symmetry (the left side of the body has to do the same as the right).
- Breaststroke, from which the butterfly stroke evolved, places the additional restriction that the swimmer's hands must be pushed forward together from the breast and that the elbows must remain under the water. It is the slowest stroke, and events are held at distances of 50m, 100m, and 200m.
- Backstroke places no symmetry restrictions, but swimmers must lay on their back at all times except during turns to perform the stroke. Backstroke is performed, in essence, as an inversion of the crawl - competitors swing their arms back over their shoulder, alternately, and pull through under the water to provide motive power, with a flutter kick. Events are held at distances of 50m, 100m, and 200m.
Full rules are on the rules web page of FINA.
- Relay, where a number of swimmers swim sequentially. Events are held at distances of 4*50m freestyle (short 25 lane only), 4* 100m freestyle and 4*200m freestyle.
- Individual Medley, were one swimmer swims Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle in this order. Events are held at distances of 100m (short 25m lane only), 200m, and 400m.
- Medley Relay, were four swimmer swim Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle in this order. Events are held at distances of 4*50m medley (short 25 lane only) and 4* 100m medley.
Competitive swimming has traditionally been dominated by the United States, but recently that dominance has been challenged by Australia , where swimming is a hugely popular recreational activity, and participant and spectator sport. The success of Australian swimmers like Ian Thorpe and Kieren Perkins is reminiscent of Australia's previous golden age of swimming in the 1950s and 1960s, which saw the emergence of swimmers such as Shane Gould and Dawn Fraser.
There are also a number of other Competitive swimming performances, for example a long distance 5 kilometer open-water event, which became part of the Olympic program in 2000, or long distance swims across the English Channel, or circumnavigating Manhattan Island. The world record for the longest nonstop swim is held by Martin Strel for swimming 504km nonstop in 2001 in the Danube River. He also swam the Mississippi River in 2002 in 66+2days, a total of 3885km.
Swimming is also a crucial part of other sports, such as water polo, synchronized swimming and triathlon. (See List of water sports)
Rescue
Swimming is also used for rescue to avoid Drowning. Most of the time this will be self rescue, where a person involuntarily enters the water and swims to stay afloat or to reach safety.
In addition to self rescue, swimming is also used to rescue other swimmers in distress. There are a number of specialized swimming styles specially for the purpose of rescuing swimmers in distress (see List of swimming styles). Such techniques are studied for example by lifeguards, or members of the Coast Guard. The training of these techniques also evolved into competitions, as for example surf lifesaving.
Others
A number of people enter the water and swim as part of their work. For example, Abalone divers or pearl divers swim and dive to obtain an economic benefit, as do spear fishermen.
Swimming is also done to advance the sciences. Naturally, swimming is studied to improve the swimming performances of Competitive swimmers. But swimming and diving is also often used in Marine biology to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. Other sciences may also use swimming. Konrad Lorenz for example swam with geese as part of his studies of animal behavior.
Often, swimming is used merely as a way to move between locations. Nowadays, bridges and ferries are used most of the time, but there are occasions where swimming is used to move between locations, for example for crossing rivers or accessing islands. Cargo may be carried on the swimmer or pulled, possibly on a flotation device, during the swim. Military troops use swimming to cross waters.
Swimming also has military purposes besides the mere need to cross waters. A swimmer in the water or under the water can be difficult to detect, especially at night. Military swimming is usually done by Special forces, as for example Navy SEALS. Swimming is used to approach a location, gather intelligence, sabotage, or combat, and to depart a location. This may also include airborne insertion into water or leaving a submerged Submarine through a hatch or the torpedo tubes. Special equipment and techniques are also used to engage hostiles in and under water.
Swimming is also done for health purposes, as for example rehabilitation after injuries.
Technique
The human body, being composed mostly of water, has nearly the same density as water. Thus, staying afloat requires only a slight propelling of water downward relative to the body, and transverse motion only a slight propelling of water in a direction opposite to the direction of motion, due to generally low hydrodynamic drag. This propelling is typically accomplished by cupping the hands and using them as paddles, and by kicking the legs to push water away from the body.
With practice, technique can convert a slow or average swimmer to at least a moderately fast swimmer. Since speed converts directly into distance, the same techniques that improve speed also aid one to move farther with the same effort.
The torso and the legs should be kept as much as possible parallel to the surface of the water. Drooped legs or a slanted torso dramatically increase drag.
Try to have a pointed hand above the head, pointed forward as much as possible. This increases the average length at the water-line, substantially increasing speed. This is an effect long used by boat designers, and unconsciously used by "naturally good swimmers."
Try to maximize the time spent on the side because the torso is smaller front-to-back than side-to-side on most swimmers. This reduces the frontal cross-section, reducing drag further, and also increasing the ratio between the bodies water-line-length and width. Similar improvements are possible by orienting the narrowest direction of head, hands, legs and arms into the water. The torso is by far the most critical.
The motion of the hand, arm, and leg from back to the front should be in the air as much as possible, and in the water, oriented as perfectly as possible, because the returning appendage has to move at least twice as fast as the swimmer, and in the water generates eight times the drag (drag increases with the cube of the speed) of an equal amount of torso frontal area.
The basic "catch" of the water is not nearly as critical as the above items. Most swimmers simply grab water with their hand flat, or the fingers slightly spread, and then draw it smoothly down their body.
Note that none of the above techniques require improved strength. With strength training, the hands and feet can be extended further into the water, gaining more propulsion. For improvers, increased strength brings only small improvements if the above strategies (minimise drag and lengthen water-line) are not optimal.
Clothing
The desire or cultural demand of modesty together with the awkwardness or unsuitability of conventional clothing in the water led to the development of the swimsuit (and in Victorian times, the bathing machine).
Nude swimming is done:
- at nudist areas
- during nudist hours in some swimming pools
- in Denmark, a customary practice
- at (usually small) swimming pools in saunas
- without being formally allowed, at quiet places and hours; also called skinny dipping
- at private swimming pools and beaches, not visible for outsiders
Swimming and health
Swimming is a good form of exercise. Because the density of the human body is approximately similar to water, the body is supported by the water and less stress is therefore placed on joints and bones. Furthermore, the resistance against movement depends heavily on the speed of the movement, allowing the fine tuning of the exercise according to ones ability. Therefore, swimming is frequently used as an exercise in rehabilitation after injuries or for the disabled.
Swimming exercises almost all muscles in the body. Usually, the arms and upper body are exercised more than the legs, as most forward motion is generated by the arms. In competitive swimming, excessive leg muscles can be seen as a disadvantage as they consume more oxygen, which would be needed for the muscles of the arms. However, this depends very much on the swimming style. While breaststroke generates significant movement with the legs, front crawl propels the body mainly with the arms.
Swimming is an aerobic exercise due to the relatively long exercise times, requiring a constant oxygen supply to the muscles, except for short sprints where the muscles work anaerobically. While aerobic exercises usually burn fat and help with loosing weight, this effect is limited in swimming for two reasons. First, water cools the body much faster than air, and therefore the body aims to maintain a layer of fat under the skin for insulation. Secondly, in exercise many calories are burnt due to the increased body temperature (see: Perspiration). However, during swimming the body is cooled down almost instantly as the surrounding water is usually cooler than the body temperature, reducing the number of calories burnt.
Swimming is considered a sport with a low risk of injury. Nevertheless there are some health risks with swimming. Most lethal risks in swimming are due to the inability to swim. It is recommended to swim in an area supervised by lifeguards and to paying attention to the water conditions. Possible health risks range from lethal to minor inconveniences. Below is a list of these risks, ranging from potentially lethal to minor temporary inconveniences.
- Drowning can cause injury or death.
- Drowning due to adverse water conditions which may force the body under water or force water into the body.
- Drowning due to negative buoyancy, for example due to being attached to items heavier than water, e.g. medieval armour or a concrete block around the feet, or being trapped in an item heavier than water, e.g. a sinking ship.
- Drowning due to outside influence, as for example being pushed under water by another person by accident or intentionally.
- Drowning can also be caused by the inability to swim due to exhaustion or unconsciousness or a combination thereof. Besides other health risks listed below this may be due to effects unrelated to swimming as for example heart attacks and other strokes.
- Risks due to the effect of water on the human body.
- Secondary drowning, where inhaled salt water in the lungs after a near drowning starts to create a foam in the lungs that restricts breathing.
- Thermal shock after jumping into water can cause the heart to stop.
- Spending time in the water can give a wrinkled skin on the fingers, palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. This disappears quickly without any negative effect.
- Injuries may heal slower if submerged in water.
- Risks due to chemicals in the water.
- In chlorinated swimming pools the chlorine may burn in the eyes. This stops shortly after leaving the water. Other disinfection techniques using, for example, ozone can avoid this effect.
- Breathing small quantities of chlorine from the water surface during swimming repeatedly for long periods of time, as for example in the case of competitive swimmers, can face adverse effects on the lungs.
- Chlorine also has a negative cosmetic effect on hair after repeated long exposure.
- Risks due to bacteria, fungi and viruses in the water. Water is an excellent environment for many bacteria, which may affect humans. The risk and severity of infection vary with the water quality. A selection of more common infections related to swimming are:
- Swimming and showering can cause athlete's foot (boat bug). The easiest way to avoid this is drying the space between the toes after swimming.
- Swimming can cause ear infections in the ear canal (Otitis externa).
- Cases of Legionnaires' disease have been transmitted by improper sterilized showers after swimming. Good swimming facilities heat the shower water to 60 C once per week during closing time to disinfect the water system.
- There is no known case of transmission of AIDS through the water, nor is there a known case of pregnancy due to sperm transported through the water while swimming.
- Risks due to physical activity in the water specific to swimming.
- Competitive swimmers may have a health risk due to overuse. Butterfly swimmers for example may develop some back pain after long years of training, breaststroke swimmers may develop knee pain, and front crawl and backstroke swimmers may develop shoulder pain.
- Long term swimmers may occasionally get some abnormal growth in the ear canal due to the frequent water splashing of water in the ear canal.
- Shallow water blackout is a condition where holding the breath causes a sudden unconsciousness due to oxygen starvation.
- Exhaustion due to long swims or bad physical shape can cause drowning.
- Risks due to water and weather conditions.
- An outdoor swimmer can be hit by lightning during a thunderstorm. Lightning will usually hit the highest point available, as for example the head of a swimmer on a flat water surface.
- Strong winds can cause waves and can blow a swimmer away from land.
- Hypothermia due to cold water can cause rapid exhaustion and unconsciousness depending on the water temperature and the body conditions.
- Currents, including tides and rivers can cause exhaustion and can move a swimmer away from safety or pull swimmers under water.
- Due to the reflections in the water, the effect of the sun is more severe than on land, causing sunburn. Furthermore, swimming is usually done wile exposing most of the body to sunlight, especially some areas usually covered (around the rims of the bathing suit) or in the shade (the back of the knees). In the long term this may increase the risk of cancer and decrease the aesthetics of the skin.
- Risks due to other objects in the water.
- A collision with another swimmer or other object as for example the wall of a pool, rocks, and boats, especially the propellers thereof, may result in injuries. Severe injuries are possible after hitting an object while diving into the water. Injuries can also be caused by stepping on sharp objects, e.g. broken glass.
- Dangerous marine life can attack swimmers in self defense or for prey, often in combination with a poison.
- Marine life that sting, e.g. jellyfish and some corals.
- Marine life that pierce, e.g. sea urchins.
- Marine life that bites, e.g. sharks and other fish, snakes, or lobster and crabs.
History
Main article: History of swimmingSwimming has been known since prehistoric times. Drawings from the stone age were found in "the cave of swimmers" near Wadi Sora (or Sura) in the southwestern part of Egypt. Written references date back up to 2000 B.C, including Gilgamesh, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible (Ezekiel 47:5, Acts 27:42, Isaiah 25:11), Beowulf, and other sagas. In 1538 Nicolas Wynman, German professor of languages, wrote the first swimming book "Colymbetes". Competitive swimming in Europe started around 1800, mostly using breaststroke. The front crawl, then called the trudgen was intruduced in 1873 by John Arthur Trudgen, copying it from native americans. Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1902 the trudgen was improved by Richard Cavill, using the flutter kick. In 1908, the world swimming association Federation Internationale de Natation de Amateur (FINA) was formed. Butterfly was first a variant of Breaststroke, until it was accepted as a separate style in 1952.
See also
- List of water sports
- List of swimming styles
- Sport
External link
DISCLAIMER
- Federation Internationale de la Natation competitive swimming's governing body.
- Please remember that Wikipedia is offered for informational use only. The information is in most cases not reviewed by professionals. You are advised to contact your doctor for health-related decisions.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Swimming."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
SWIM | English | Scottish Widows Investment Management | Insurance |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: SwimSynonyms: swimming (n), float (v). (additional references) |
| Antonym: sink (v). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Ascent | Go aloft, fly aloft; tower, soar, take off; spring up, pop up, jump up, catapult upwards, explode upwards; hover, spire, plane, swim, float, surge; leap. |
Assent | Go with the stream, swim with the stream, go with the flow, blow with the wind; be in fashion, join in the chorus, join the crowd, be one of the guys, be part of the group, go with the crowd, don't make waves; be in every mouth. |
Certainty | Adverb: certainly; Adjective: for certain, certes, sure, no doubt, doubtless, and no mistake, flagrante delicto, sure enough, to be sure, of course, as a matter of course, a coup sur, to a certainty; in truth; (truly); at any rate, at all events; without fail; coute que coute, coute qu'il coute; whatever may happen, if the worst come to the worst; come what may, happen what may, come what will; sink or swim; rain or shine. |
Concord | Hurler avec les loups; go with the stream, swim with the stream. |
Conformity | Be regular; Adjective: move in a groove; follow observe the rules, go by the rules, bend to the rules,obey the rules, obey the precedents; comply with, tally with, chime in with, fall in with; be guided by, be regulated by; fall into a custom,fall into a usage; follow the fashion, follow the crowd, pass muster, do as others do, hurler avec les loups; stand on ceremony; when in Rome do as the Romans do; go with the stream, go with the flow, swim with the stream, swim with the current, swim with the tide, blow with the wind; stick to the beaten track; (habit); keep one in countenance. |
Difficulty | Fish in troubled waters, buffet the waves, swim against the stream, scud under bare poles. |
Facility | Flow with the stream, swim with the stream, drift with the stream, go with the stream, flow with the tide, drift with the tide; see one's way; have all one's own way, have the game in one's own hands; walk over the course, win at a canter; make light of, make nothing of, make no bones of. |
Inactivity | Take it easy, take things as they come; lead an easy life, vegetate, swim with the stream, eat the bread of idleness; loll in the lap of luxury, loll in the lap of indolence; waste time, consume time, kill time, lose time; burn daylight, waste the precious hours. |
Levity | Verb: be light. Adjective: float, rise, swim, be buoyed up. |
Navigation | Swim, float; buffet the waves, ride the storm, skim, effleurer, dive, wade. |
Perseverance | Adverb: through evil report and good report, through thick and thin, through fire and water; per fas et nefas; without fail, sink or swim, at any price, vogue la galere. |
Physical Pleasure | Verb: feel pleasure, experience pleasure, receive pleasure; enjoy, relish; luxuriate in, revel in, riot in, bask in, swim in, drink up, eat up, wallow in; feast on; gloat over, float on; smack the lips. |
Prosperity | Verb: prosper, thrive, flourish; be prosperous; Adjective: drive a roaring trade, do a booming business; go on well, go on smoothly, go on swimmingly; sail before the wind, swim with the tide; run smooth, run smoothly, run on all fours. |
Sufficiency | Verb: be sufficient; Adjective:; suffice, do, just do, satisfy, pass muster; have enough; Noun: eat. one's fill, drink one's fill, have one's fill; roll in, swim in; wallow in; (superabundance) ; wanton. |
Vanity | Phrase: " how we apples swim! "; " prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk". |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Swim |
| English words defined with "swim": angel shark, angelfish ♦ backstroke, bathrobe, breaststroke ♦ crawl ♦ dip, dive ♦ Ederle, Ephyra, escallop ♦ fish ladder, flatfish, Flete, free-swimming ♦ Gertrude Caroline Ederle, Gertrude Ederle ♦ hero ♦ Lernaeacea ♦ monkfish ♦ Natatorial ♦ Ostracoidea ♦ paddle, plunge, prostate specific antigen, PSA, Pteropoda, Pyrosome ♦ ray ♦ saltate, scallop, scollop, sea horse, seahorse, skate, skin-dive, Squatina squatina, Swam, Swom, Swum ♦ Tomopteris ♦ unattached ♦ Water mouse, water wings. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "swim": After "Than" and "As", AQUATIC PERFORMER ♦ CUP SETTER, LOCKSTITCH ♦ Drink like a Fish ♦ Flatfishes ♦ Horse ♦ Misnomers ♦ Pedigree ♦ safety, Scythian Defiance, spit monkey, swim fins, swimfins, Swimming, synneusis ♦ trunkin'. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "swim": Transnatation. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | We would swim to that island every day. I love the water (Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones; writing credit: George Lucas) But I can't swim. (The Full Monty; writing credit: Simon Beaufoy) Sir, I've inspected this boat, and I think you ought to know that I can't swim. (The Guns of Navarone; writing credit: Alistair MacLean; Carl Foreman) Have you seen a clown fish swim by (Finding Nemo; writing credit: Andrew Stanton) Crocodiles can't swim in salt water (Lake Placid; writing credit: David E. Kelley) | |
Lyrics | Swim across the river, just to prove that I'm a man. (Mountain Music; performing artist: ALABAMA; writing credit: Randy Owen) Tides that I tried to swim against (Clocks; performing artist: COLDPLAY) Take this love, so deep to swim in (Muscles; performing artist: Diana Ross) You can dip your foot in the pool but you can't have a swim (NO ONE IS TO BLAME; performing artist: Howard Jones) But if I can't swim after forty days (Flood; performing artist: Jars Of Clay) | |
Clever | I could drown in a frown and swim in a smile. (references; author: unknown) Those who drink to drown their sorrows should be taught that sorrows know how to swim. (references; author: unknown) | |
Tongue Twisters | The swan swam over the sea. Swim, swan, swim. The swan swam back again. Well swum, swan. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | The Big Swim (1964) Sink or Swim (1952) Sing or Swim (1948) How to Swim (1942) Swim or Sink (1932) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
References | |||
Books | |||
Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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High Tech |
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Navy frogmen swim to spacecraft to begin retrieval. Credit: NASA. |  | Swim call in the Arabian Sea OCEANOGRAPHER around the world cruise. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |
 | Taking in the glories of nature Picnic and swim at a Palawan waterfall. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | Swim call! Undaunted by Jaws movies, ALBATROSS IV crewman dives into waters off Menempsha Bight. Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |
 | Gene Richards and Nogeak going for a final sled ride (or first swim). Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |  | A combination turtle excluder device/bycatch reduction device manufactured by Saunders Marine Machine Shop. Fish escape by swimming forward and out of the large holes in the net. Shrimp are swept into the bag at the end of the net and cannot swim out. Credit: Fisheries. |
 | Large marlin on swim step of charter vessel (CPFV). Credit: Fisheries. |  | Full view of Hexabranchus sanguineus, a swimming nudibranch in full swim. Credit: The Coral Kingdom. |
 | "The first swimming call": Crewmen swim over the battleship's side after coaling, circa 1913. Note dirty faces of swimmers, and whaleboat standing by on lifeguard duty. Photographed by Sargent. Credit: NAVY. |  | Crewmen enjoy "swim call" at Papeete, Tahiti, during the cruiser's shakedown cruise, 1931. View looks aft from the boat deck, on the port side. Note boat boom in use as a diving platform, and boat skids in the foreground. Credit: NAVY. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |  |
| "Smile after swim" by Jennifer W Commentary: "I took this right after he got out of the water - he didn't want his picture taken but I told him to look at the pool and smile." | "Swim at your own risk!" by Greg Schmigel Commentary: "Swim at your own risk, and other various pool signage. See more of my works at www.27cm.com." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Francis Beaumont | Our natures are a lot like oil, mix us with anything else, and we strive to swim on top. |
Gregory The Great | Holy Scripture is a stream of running water, where alike the elephant may swim, and the lamb walk without losing its feet. |
John Adams | The die was now cast; I had passed the Rubicon. Swim or sink, live or die, survive or perish with my country was my unalterable determination. |
Thomas Jefferson | In matters of principals, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | The assembly did therefore exhort him, either to employ me like the rest of my species, or command me to swim back to the place from where I came |
Walden | Thoreau, Henry David | How much fairer than the pool before the farmers door, in which his ducks swim! Hither the clean wild ducks come |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Do not swim in polluted water. (references) | |
These larvae swim in the water in search of a certain species of aquatic snail. (references) | ||
Since these factors change (sometimes within a swim season), swimmer's itch will not always be a problem. (references) | ||
Civil Liberties | Cote d'Ivoire | They then handed Lakpe over to gendarmes who took Lakpe and his bodyguard to the Koumassi Camp Commando where the gendarmes beat them with their belts, made them swim in dirty water, and insulted them for supporting Ouattara. (references) |
Economic History | Canada | Domestic manufacturing has established niche segments and is strong in the following sectors: ice hockey equipment, curling equipment, sport whistles, swim goggles and selective outdoor products. (references) |
Travel | Ghana | It is unsafe to swim in freshwater streams and lagoons. (references) |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | SAFETY-:CLUTCH:, n. A mechanical device acting automatically to prevent the fall of an elevator, or cage, in case of an accident to the hoisting apparatus. Once I seen a human ruin In an elevator-well, And his members was bestrewin' All the place where he had fell. And I says, apostrophisin' That uncommon woful wreck: "Your position's so surprisin' That I tremble for your neck!" Then that ruin, smilin' sadly And impressive, up and spoke: "Well, I wouldn't tremble badly, For it's been a fortnight broke." Then, for further comprehension Of his attitude, he begs I will focus my attention On his various arms and legs -- How they all are contumacious; Where they each, respective, lie; How one trotter proves ungracious, T'other one an alibi. These particulars is mentioned For to show his dismal state, Which I wasn't first intentioned To specifical relate. None is worser to be dreaded That I ever have heard tell Than the gent's who there was spreaded In that elevator-well. Now this tale is allegoric -- It is figurative all, For the well is metaphoric And the feller didn't fall. I opine it isn't moral For a writer-man to cheat, And despise to wear a laurel As was gotten by deceit. For 'tis Politics intended By the elevator, mind, It will boost a person splendid If his talent is the kind. Col. Bryan had the talent (For the busted man is him) And it shot him up right gallant Till his head begun to swim. Then the rope it broke above him And he painful come to earth Where there's nobody to love him For his detrimented worth. Though he's livin' none would know him, Or at leastwise not as such. Moral of this woful poem: Frequent oil your safety-clutch. Porfer Poog |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Swim" is generally used as a lexical verb (infinitive) -- approximately 54.88% of the time. "Swim" is used about 1,240 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 54.88% | 680 | 9,720 |
| Noun (singular) | 37.47% | 465 | 12,668 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 7.66% | 95 | 33,629 |
| Total | 100.00% | 1,240 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "swim" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Swim | Last name | 1,000 | 12,505 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
Expressions using "swim": able to swim ♦ be in the swim ♦ be out of the swim ♦ cannot swim ♦ go for a swim ♦ have a swim ♦ in the swim ♦ sink or swim ♦ swim a cross a river ♦ swim a horse ♦ swim a race ♦ swim across ♦ swim across a river ♦ swim against ♦ swim against the current ♦ swim against the stream ♦ swim against the tide ♦ swim around ♦ swim away ♦ swim before ♦ swim bladder ♦ swim by ♦ swim fins ♦ swim for it ♦ swim for smb. ♦ swim for smth. ♦ swim in ♦ swim into smth. ♦ swim like a brick ♦ swim like a fish ♦ swim meet ♦ swim overarm ♦ swim past ♦ swim sidestroke ♦ swim suit ♦ swim the crawl ♦ swim through ♦ swim to the bottom like a stone ♦ swim to the bottom like a tailor's goose ♦ swim toward ♦ swim under water ♦ swim up ♦ swim upstream ♦ swim with the stream ♦ swim with the tide ♦ take a swim ♦ the swim ♦ To be in the swim. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "swim": swim-bladder, swim-bladders, swim-suit, swim-suited, swim-suits, Swim-two-birds. | |
Ending with "swim": fire-swim, out-of-the-practical-swim, sink-or-swim, ultra-swim. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
swim wear | 19,444 | roxy swim wear | 575 |
womens swim wear | 11,848 | teen swim wear | 459 |
swim | 4,270 | bikini swim wear | 415 |
dolphin swim | 3,304 | boy swim | 385 |
plus size swim wear | 2,500 | kid swim wear | 378 |
swim goggles | 2,083 | calvin klein swim wear | 355 |
venus swim wear | 2,078 | swim wear junior | 347 |
adult swim | 2,012 | child swim wear | 344 |
man swim wear | 1,771 | speedo swim wear | 334 |
designer swim wear | 1,682 | in the swim | 328 |
swim fins | 1,531 | swim cap | 326 |
swim gear | 1,152 | swim suite | 321 |
swim mask | 1,112 | thong swim wear | 291 |
fashion swim | 968 | vix swim wear | 279 |
sexy swim wear | 950 | swim spa | 270 |
maternity swim wear | 948 | tommy hilfiger swim wear | 258 |
girl swim wear | 649 | lady swim wear | 254 |
swim with dolphin | 637 | girl swim | 246 |
woman swim wear | 615 | discount swim wear | 240 |
swim team | 603 | kid swim | 208 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "swim"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | swem (float), dryf (actuate, be adrift, chase, drift, drive, drive on, float, impel, shoo). (various references) | |
Albanian | notoj (float, ride, run, wallow in), notim (flotation, natation, plunge, swimming), not (natation, swimming), fut në ujë. (various references) | |
Arabic | مجرى النشاط الرئيسي, تبع التيار, سباق السباحة, سباحة (bathing, stroke, swimming), سبح (laud, praise, rosary), عبر (across, act out, carry, clothe, come, come across, conceive, couch, cross, emit, enunciate, express, express oneself, fly, get through, give voice to, go over, jibe, jump, mouth, navigate, negotiate, pass, phrase, run, signify, slice through, span, track, trans, transit, ventilate, voice), طفا (drift, float, put out, ride, shut off, smother), ذهب للسباحة, إنزلق (run, shoot, sideslip, skid, slid, slide, slip, slip by, slip up, slither, toboggan), إستحمام (bath, dipping), إستحم (bathe, shower, tub), أصاب بدوار (giddy, whirl), دوخ (beat about the bush, daze, stun), دوار (daze, dizziness, giddiness, revolutionary, revolving, rolling, rotary, rotating, rotational, rotative, rotatory, sturdy, swimming, swinging, turn, vertigo, voluble). (various references) | |
Asturian | nalar (swimming, to swim). (various references) | |
Aymara | tuyuña (to swim). (various references) | |
Basque | igeri egin (swim to). (various references) | |
Bemba | ukowa (swimming, to swim). (various references) | |
Blackfoot | otsi (to swim). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | карам да плува, нося се плавно (glide, scud, slip along), замайване (dizziness, giddiness, spin, vertigo), замайвам се, преплуване, преплувам, плувнал съм, плуване (natation, swimming), плувам (be under way, float, keel, pull, ride, sail, steer), изпълнен съм (drip), дълбок вир с много риба, движа се плавно (scud, slip along, sweep). (various references) | |
Cebuano | molangoy (to swim). (various references) | |
Chamorro | para man nangu (to swim). (various references) | |
Chinese | 游泳 . (various references) | |
Cornish | nyja (to swim). (various references) | |
Czech | zaplavání, toèit se (curve, go round, revolve, rotate, swirl, turn, twirl, twist, veer, whiffle), plout (float, navigate, ship), plavit (float), plavat, plavání (swimming), jít s proudem (climb on the bandwagon). (various references) | |
Danish | svømme (float). (various references) | |
Dutch | zwemmen (float). (various references) | |
Ecuadorian Quechua | huanpuna (boating, to swim). (various references) | |
Esperanto | naĝi (float). (various references) | |
Faeroese | svimja (float). (various references) | |
Farsi | شناکردن , شناوری (Buoyancy), شناورشدن (Float), شنا. (various references) | |
Finnish | uida (bathe, float). (various references) | |
French | nager, baignade (have a swim, swimming). (various references) | |
Frisian | swimme (float, to swim). (various references) | |
German | schwimmen (be at sea, be awash, float, floatage, flotage, flounder, swimming, to bathe, to float, to swim, to take a swim). (various references) | |
Greek | κολυμπώ. (various references) | |
Hebrew | לשחות, שחיה (natation, swimming). (various references) | |
Hungarian | úszik (drift, float, ridden, rode, to drift, to float, to ride), úszás (bathe, crawl-stroke, floatage, flotage, natation, swimming). (various references) | |
Indonesian | renang (bathing), berenang. (various references) | |
Inuktitut | puijjuraaqtuq (to swim). (various references) | |
Italian | nuotare (float, floatage, flotage, swimming). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 泳ぐ (to swim). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | すいえいたいかい (a swim meet), およげるようになる (to learn how to swim), およぐ (to swim), のるかそるか (make or break, sink or swim, win or lose), いちかばちか (sink or swim), こうふくにひたる (to swim in bliss), じりゅうにのっておよぐ (to swim with the current). (various references) | |
Kongo | ta mansaya (to swim). (various references) | |
Korean | 수영 (swimming). (various references) | |
Macedonian | pliva (to swim). (various references) | |
Malay | berenang (float). (various references) | |
Manx | snaue (bathing, course, crawl, crawling, creep, creep as child, creeping, float, floating, flotation, glide, gliding, in suspension, scuttle; track of snail; swimming, scuttle; track; swimming, sidle, slither, slithering), gamylt, amylt (swimming). (various references) | |
Maori | kau-ria (to swim). (various references) | |
Maya | baa' (to swim). (various references) | |
Mohawk | -tawenhs (to swim). (various references) | |
Norwegian | svømme (float). (various references) | |
Occitan | nadar. (various references) | |
Papiamen | landra (float), landa (float). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | imsway.(various references) | |
Polish | pływać (float). (various references) | |
Portuguese | nadar (bathe, float), flutuar (buoy, drift, flirt, flit, float, flown, fluctuate, fly, waft), boiar (float, hesitate, oscillate, waft). (various references) | |
Provencal | nadar (to swim). (various references) | |
Romanian | pluti (boat, float, navigate, sail, stand off, stand on, wander), înota (float, have a swim). (various references) | |
Romansch | nudar (to swim). (various references) | |
Romany | plivinàv (to swim). (various references) | |
Russian | плавать (float, navigate, sail, swam, swims, swum, voyage). (various references) | |
Samoan | e aau (to swim). (various references) | |
Scottish | snàmh (float, floating, swimming, the art of swimming). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | zanošenje (drift, driftage, skid), vrteti se (eddy, wriggle), tok poslova, plivati (float), plivanje (natation, swimming). (various references) | |
Shona | -tuhwina (to swim). (various references) | |
Sicilian | natari (to swim). (various references) | |
Spanish | nadar (float, floatage, flotage, swimming). (various references) | |
Sranan | swen (float). (various references) | |
Swazi | kú-hlamba (to swim). (various references) | |
Swedish | simma (be bathed, float). (various references) | |
Tagalog | lumangóy (float). (various references) | |
Thai | เวียนศีรษะ (dizziness, dizzy), การเวียนศีรษะ, การว่ายน้ำ (swimming), ว่ายน้ำ (bathing), ลอย (drift, levitate, ride). (various references) | |
Turkish | yüzmek (bathe, flinch, float, go for a swim, ride, shave, strike out). (various references) | |
Turkmen | яьzmek, dьюьnmek2. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | ковзати (glide, skid, slide, slip), основний хід, запаморочення (aberration, disorder, dizziness, swimming), примушувати пливти, плавати (bathe, float, sail), плавання (floatation, floating, flotation, natation, swimming), пливти (waft). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | bộ quần áo bơi (swim suit). (various references) | |
Welsh | nofio (float). (various references) | |
Yucatec | baab (float). (various references) | |
Zulu | -bhukuda (float). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | abner, aner, defluant, defluebantque, defluent, defluenti, defluentibus, deflueret, defluet, defluit, defluxerunt, defluxit, dina, iamnor, iannes, ilionas, macedonas, nabo, nares, nata, natandum, natans, natantia, natare, natas, natatoria, natatoriam, natavitque, nate, nates, natis, nato, navi, nemini, nemrod, nemus, ner, nili, no, sidonem, transnataverunt. (various references) |
| Old English | 450-1100 | fleotan. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Acts Chapter 27, Verse 42 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Twn de stratiwtwn boulh egeneto ina touV desmwtaV apokteinwsin mhtiV ekkolumbhsaV diafugoi |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Militum autem consilium fuit ut custodias occiderent ne quis cum enatasset effugeret |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | And counsel of the kniytis was, to sle men that weren in warde, lest ony schulde ascape, whanne he hadde swymmed out. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | The soudears counsell was to kyll ye presoners lest eny of them when he had swome out shulde fle awaye. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | Then the armed men were for putting the prisoners to death, so that no one would get away by swimming. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Acts Chapter 27, Verse 42 |
| Albanian | Ushtarët ishin të mendimit t'i vritnin robërit, që asnjë të mos ikte me not. |
| Cebuano | Ug ang mga sundalo naghunahuna sa pagpatay sa mga binilanggo, sa kahadlok nga tingali unya aduna kanilay manglangoy ug mangalagiw. |
| Chinese | 兵 丁 的 意 思 、 要 把 囚 犯 殺 了 、 恐 怕 有 洑 水 脫 逃 的 。 |
| Croatian | Tada vojnici naumiše poubijati sužnje da ne bi koji isplivao i pobjegao, |
| Danish | Det var nu Stridsmændenes Råd, at man skulde ihjelslå Fangerne, for at ingen skulde svømme bort og undkomme. |
| Dutch | De raadslag nu der krijgslieden was, dat zij de gevangenen zouden doden, opdat niemand, ontzwommen zijnde, zoude ontvlieden. |
| Finnish | Niin sotamiehillä oli aikomus tappaa vangit, ettei kukaan pääsisi uimalla karkuun. |
| French | Les soldats furent d`avis de tuer les prisonniers, de peur que quelqu`un d`eux ne s`échappât à la nage. |
| German | Die Kriegsknechte aber hatten einen Rat, die Gefangenen zu töten, daß nicht jemand, so er ausschwömme, entflöhe. |
| Hungarian | A vitézeknek pedig az lõn tanácsa, hogy a foglyokat vágják le, hogy senki el ne szaladhasson, minekutána kiúszott. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Prajurit-prajurit di kapal itu berniat membunuh semua orang tahanan, karena mereka takut jangan-jangan nanti ada yang berenang ke darat dan lari. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Lalu segala laskar itu pun bermaksud hendak membunuh sekalian orang belenggu, supaya jangan seorang pun sambil berenang langsung lari. |
| Italian | I soldati pensarono allora di uccidere i prigionieri, perché nessuno sfuggisse gettandosi a nuoto, |
| Latvian | Tad kareivjiem radâs nodoms apcietinâtos nonâvçt, lai kâds neaizpeldçtu un neizbçgtu. |
| Maori | A, ki ta nga hoia whakaaro, me whakamate nga herehere, kei kau tetahi ki uta, kei oma. |
| Norwegian | Krigsfolket vilde nu drepe fangene, forat ikke nogen av dem skulde svømme bort og rømme; |
| Portuguese | Então o parecer dos soldados era que matassem os presos para que nenhum deles fugisse, escapando a nado. |
| Rumanian | Ostawii au fost de pqrere sq omoare pe cei kntemniyayi, ca sq nu scape vreunul prin knot. |
| Russian | чПЙОЩ УПЗМБУЙМЙУШ ВЩМП ХНЕТФЧЙФШ ХЪОЙЛПЧ, ЮФПВЩ ЛФП-- ОЙВХДШ, ЧЩРМЩЧ, ОЕ ХВЕЦБМ. |
| Shuar | Suntarsha, achik Júamu armia Nú shuaran Máataj tusa wakeriarmiayi, yukuak pisararain tusar. |
| Spanish | Entonces los soldados acordaron matar a los presos, para que ninguno se escapara nadando; |
| Swahili | Askari walitaka kuwaua wafungwa wote kwa kuogopa kwamba wangeogelea hadi pwani na kutoroka. |
| Swedish | Då ville krigsmännen döda fångarna, för att ingen skulle kunna fly undan simmande. |
| Uma | Ngkai ree, mohawa' -ramo tantara doko' mpatehi hawe'ea to rataha, bona neo' mpai' ria to monangu hilou hi role-na pai' nculi' metibo'. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "swim": swimmable, swimmer, swimmeret, swimmerets, swimmers, swimmier, swimmiest, swimmily, swimming, swimmingly, swimmings, swimmy, swims, swimsuit, swimsuits, swimwear. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "swim": outswim. (additional references) | |
Words containing "swim": nonswimmer, nonswimmers, outswimming, outswims. (additional references) | |
| |
"Swim" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aswim, Cswip, Eswi, iswi, msvibm, Oswyn, Saim, scim, scwirm, Seim, sewi, sfim, Sgwyd, Siim, sim, simm, siwn, spim, stim, swamk, sweem, swem, swen, Sweyn, swi, swib, swid, swif, swik, swimp, swin, swind, swip, swir, swirm, swiv, swoom, twim, wim, Wmi, wsi. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "swim" (pronounced swi"m) |
| 3 | -w i" m | whim. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "i-m-s-w" | |
-1 letter: ism, mis, sim, wis. | |
-2 letters: is, mi, si. | |
| Words containing the letters "i-m-s-w" | |
+1 letter: swami, swims, whims, wimps. | |
+2 letters: miaows, swamis, swimmy, whimsy, wisdom. | |
+3 letters: dimwits, impawns, manwise, mawkish, midways, mildews, minnows, misdraw, misdrew, misgrew, misgrow, misknew, misknow, mistbow, misword, miswrit, mowings, outswim, sawmill, semiraw, swamies, swimmer, wampish, warmish, whimsey, wholism, wigwams, wimbles, wimpish, wimples, winsome, wisdoms, wormils, wormish. | |
+4 letters: dwarfism, fishworm, imbowers, imbrowns, impowers, midtowns, midweeks, midwifes, midwives, misaward, misdrawn, misdraws, misgrown, misgrows, misknown, misknows, mistbows, misthrew, misthrow, miswords, miswrite, miswrote, outswims, pinworms, rowdyism, sawmills, semiwild, shipworm, showtime, silkworm, somewise, swampier, swamping, swampish, swarming, swimmers, swimmier, swimmily, swimming, swimsuit, swimwear, swingman, swingmen, unwisdom, wailsome, wartimes, whammies, whimpers, whimseys, whimsied, whimsies, wholisms, wifedoms, wimpiest, winsomer, womanise, womanish, wombiest, wormiest. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Images: Digital Art | 9. Quotations: Familiar 10. Quotations: Fiction 11. Quotations: Non-fiction 12. Usage Frequency | 13. Names: Frequency 14. Expressions 15. Expressions: Internet 16. Translations: Modern | 17. Translations: Ancient 18. Bible Trace 19. Abbreviations 20. Acronyms | 21. Derivations 22. Rhymes 23. Anagrams 24. Bibliography |
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