/swɪʃ/
OriginFrom noun, imitative of the sound
- British, colloquialsophisticated; fashionable; smooth.
“This restaurant looks very swish — it even has linen tablecloths.”
“All the shabby railway buildings in front of the station concourse have either been removed or transformed into a shopping complex and swish homes.”
- Attractive, stylish
“When the boys go swish, they always score”
“The Saints, who started the day third in the table, went marching on thanks to their own swish play and some staggering defending by the visitors.”
- Effeminate.
- countable, uncountableA short rustling, hissing or whistling sound, often made by friction.
- countable, uncountableA hissing, sweeping movement through the air, as of an animal's tail.
“As she trotted down the white path, each swish of her tail sent petals dancing through the air, falling where the bride would walk.”
- countable, uncountableA sound of liquid flowing inside a container.
“There were four or five men in the vault already, and I could hear more coming down the passage, and guessed from their heavy footsteps that they were carrying burdens. There was a sound, too, of dump”
- countable, uncountableA twig or bundle of twigs, used for administering beatings; a switch
- countable, uncountableA successful basketball shot that does not touch the rim or backboard.
- countable, uncountableA rapid or careless attacking stroke by the batter.
- countable, slang, uncountableAn effeminate male homosexual.
“"Fairies, nances, swishes, fags, lezzes — call 'em what you please — should of course be permitted to earn honest livings […]”
- slang, uncountableEffeminacy, effeminate or homosexual demeanor.
“He got a little swish downriver.”
- Canada, slang, uncountableAn improvised alcoholic drink made by fermenting whatever ingredients are available.
- To make a rustling sound while moving.
“The cane swishes.”
“In the stern of the low-laden canoe his paddle swished steadily and powerfully, with thrust of straight, stiff upper arm backed by a twisting swing of the body from the waist, and with every stroke th”
- transitiveTo flourish with a swishing sound.
“to swish a cane back and forth”
“And backward and forward he swish'd his long tail / As a gentleman swishes his cane.”
- dated, slang, transitiveTo flog; to lash.
“After Virginia came the twins, who were usually called "the Star and Stripes", as they were always getting swished.”
“Doctor Wordsworth and assistants would swish that error out of him in a way that need not here be mentioned.”
- To make a successful basketball shot that does not touch the rim or backboard.
- slangTo mince or otherwise to behave in an effeminate manner.
“I shall not swish; I'll merely act limp-wristed.”
“Once you come to grips and accept that you are both feminine and masculine and accept that proudly, the fear can disappear and you can begin to enjoy being you! […] ¶ So you can shed tears at a movie ”
- transitiveTo cause a liquid to move around in a container, or in one's mouth.
“Swish the mouthwash around the mouth and between the teeth for one minute.”
- A hissing or whistling sound of something travelling quickly through the air.
“"Just like parade it had been a minute before then stumble, bang, swish! Wiped out!" he said.”
Formsswisher(comparative) · more swish(comparative) · swishest(superlative) · most swish(superlative) · swishes(plural) · swishes(present, singular, third-person) · swishing(participle, present) · swished(participle, past) · swished(past)