Home > Antonyms > Antonyms for swim

Antonyms for swim

Grammar : Verb
Spell : swim
Phonetic Transcription : swɪm

Definition of swim

Origin :
  • Old English swimman "to move in or on the water, float" (class III strong verb; past tense swamm, past participle swummen), from Proto-Germanic *swemjanan (cf. Old Saxon and Old High German swimman, Old Norse svimma, Dutch zwemmen, German schwimmen), from PIE root *swem- "to be in motion."
  • The root is sometimes said to be restricted to Germanic, but possible cognates are Welsh chwyf "motion," Old Irish do-sennaim "I hunt," Lithuanian sundyti "to chase." For the usual Indo-European word, see natatorium. Sense of "reel or move unsteadily" first recorded 1670s; of the head or brain, from 1702. Figurative phrase sink or swim is attested from mid-15c., often with reference to ordeals of suspected witches.
  • verb make way through water using arms, legs
Example sentences :
  • Allen was mounted on the major's charger, and was ordered to swim the river.
  • Extract from : « A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion » by William Dobein James
  • He was not fair to Vavasor; he never asked if he could swim.
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • But indeed Vavasor could swim, well enough, only he did not see the necessity for it.
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • In his hurry, Campbell missed his footing, and fell overboard:—he could not swim.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • I could not swim a stroke; and I sang out, lustily, for help.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
  • In the end, it will be seen by what a terrific lesson I finally learned to swim.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
  • Her boat would not swim, and she had not a spare spar on board her.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
  • I could not swim a stroke, and it crossed my mind to get one of the sweeps to keep me afloat.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
  • They are cousins to the mermaids, that swim in the salt water.
  • Extract from : « Welsh Fairy Tales » by William Elliott Griffis
  • "You know—Sid—he could swim perfectly," she said persuasively.
  • Extract from : « The Slave Of The Lamp » by Henry Seton Merriman

Synonyms for swim

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019