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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | swimman |
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Related topics: Swimmingswim1
past tense swam past participle swum present participle swimming
past tense swam past participle swum present participle swimming1 to move yourself through water using your arms and legs kids learning to swim the backstroke She was the first woman to swim the Channel.
move through water
[intransitive and transitive]DSSkids learning to swim the backstrokeShe was the first woman to swim the Channel.2 when fish, ducks etc swim, they move around the water using their tails and fins, their feet etc : Tropical fish swam slowly around in the tank.
water animals
[intransitive always + adverb/preposition]Tropical fish swam slowly around in the tank.3
not thinking/seeing properly
[intransitive]a) if your head swims, you start to feel confused or that everything is spinning around : My head was swimming after looking at that screen all day.
My head was swimming after looking at that screen all day.b) if something you are looking at swims, it seems to be moving around, usually because you are ill, tired, or drunk : The numbers swam before my eyes.
The numbers swam before my eyes.5 to do or say things which are different from what most people do or say, because you do not mind being different [≠ swim with the tide]
