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| Date: | 1500-1600 |
| Origin: | swap 'to hit' (14-19 centuries), from the sound; from the practice of striking the hands together when agreeing a business deal |
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swap1 S3 , swop
British English past tense and past participle swapped, present participle swapping
British English past tense and past participle swapped, present participle swapping1 [intransitive and transitive] to give something to someone and get something in return [= exchange]: 
Do you want to swap umbrellas?
Do you want to swap umbrellas?2 [transitive] to tell information to someone and be given information in return [= exchange]: We need to get together to swap ideas and information. They sat in a corner and swapped gossip.
We need to get together to swap ideas and information.They sat in a corner and swapped gossip.3 also swap over [transitive] to do the thing that someone else has been doing, and let them do the thing that you have been doing [= change]: They decided to swap roles for the day. You start on the windows and I'll do the walls, then we can swap over after an hour or so.
They decided to swap roles for the day.You start on the windows and I'll do the walls, then we can swap over after an hour or so. swap something with somebody She ended up swapping jobs with her secretary.
She ended up swapping jobs with her secretary.4 [transitive] to stop using or get rid of one thing and put or get another thing in its place : The driver announced that we would have to swap buses.
The driver announced that we would have to swap buses. swap something for something She had swapped her long skirts for jeans and T shirts. He swapped his London home for a cottage in Scotland.
She had swapped her long skirts for jeans and T shirts.He swapped his London home for a cottage in Scotland.5 also swap something around [transitive] to move one thing and put another in its place : Someone had gone into the nursery and swapped all the babies around.
Someone had gone into the nursery and swapped all the babies around.6 to let someone sit or stand in your place, so that you can have their place [= change places]: Can we swap places, please?
swap places
British EnglishCan we swap places, please?