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swerve /swɜː ^r v/ (swerves , swerving , swerved ) VERB If a vehicle or other moving thing swerves or if you swerve it, it suddenly changes direction, often in order to avoid hitting something. □ [V ] Drivers coming in the opposite direction swerved to avoid the bodies. □ [V prep/adv] Her car swerved off the road into a 6ft high brick wall. □ [V n] Suddenly Ned swerved the truck, narrowly missing a blond teenager on a skateboard. ● N‑COUNT Swerve is also a noun. □  He swung the car to the left and that swerve saved Malone's life.

swift /sw I ft/ (swifter , swiftest , swifts )

1 ADJ A swift event or process happens very quickly or without delay. □  Our task is to challenge the U.N. to make a swift decision. □  The police were swift to act. ●  swift|ly ADV □  They have acted swiftly and decisively to protect their industries.

2 ADJ Something that is swift moves very quickly. □  With a swift movement, Matthew Jerrold sat upright. ●  swift|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  Lenny moved swiftly and silently across the front lawn.

3 N‑COUNT A swift is a small bird with long curved wings.

swig /sw I g/ (swigs , swigging , swigged ) VERB If you swig a drink, you drink it from a bottle or cup quickly and in large amounts. □ [V n with down/back ] He swigs down four cans of fizzy orange drink a day. □ [V n] He was still hanging around, swigging the Coke out of the can. ● N‑COUNT Swig is also a noun. □  Brian took a swig of his drink.

swill /sw I l/ (swills , swilling , swilled )

1 VERB If you swill an alcoholic drink, you drink a lot of it. □ [V n] A crowd of men were standing around swilling beer.

2 VERB If a liquid swills around , or if you swill it around , it moves around the area that it is contained in. □ [V around/about ] Gallons of sea water had rushed into the cabin and were now swilling about in the bilges. □ [V n around/about ] She swilled the drink around in her glass.

3 N‑UNCOUNT Swill is a liquid mixture containing waste food that is given to pigs to eat.

swim ◆◇◇ /sw I m/ (swims , swimming , swam , swum )

1 VERB When you swim , you move through water by making movements with your arms and legs. □ [V ] She learned to swim when she was really tiny. □ [V ] I went round to Jonathan's to see if he wanted to go swimming. □ [V adv/prep] He was rescued only when an exhausted friend swam ashore. □ [V amount/n] I swim a mile a day. ● N‑SING Swim is also a noun. □  When can we go for a swim, Mam?

2 VERB If you swim a race, you take part in a swimming race. □ [V n] She swam the 200 metres semi-finals and came second. [Also V ]

3 VERB If you swim a stretch of water, you keep swimming until you have crossed it. □ [V n] In 1875, Captain Matthew Webb became the first man to swim the English Channel.

4 VERB When a fish swims , it moves through water by moving its body. □ [V adv/prep] The barriers are lethal to fish trying to swim upstream. [Also V ]

5 VERB If objects swim , they seem to be moving backwards and forwards, usually because you are ill. □ [V ] Alexis suddenly could take no more: he felt too hot, he couldn't breathe, the room swam.

6 VERB If your head is swimming , you feel unsteady and slightly ill. □ [V ] The musty aroma of incense made her head swim.

7sink or swim → see sink