swap

Definition of swap

9 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

verb

(transitive)To exchange or give (something) in an non-normal exchange (for something else).

“In an effort to provide more permanent accommodations, employers may offer employees the opportunity either to swap jobs with a colleague or to transfer to a new position.”
“Chief watched these goings-on without pleasure, and waved them off in disgust when the smarmiest of the two suggested he might wish to swap that elk's tooth for this jug of fine rye whiskey.”
“The Shah wanted to swap oil for more arms.”

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verb

(transitive)To exchange or give (something) in an non-normal exchange (for something else).

“In an effort to provide more permanent accommodations, employers may offer employees the opportunity either to swap jobs with a colleague or to transfer to a new position.”
“Chief watched these goings-on without pleasure, and waved them off in disgust when the smarmiest of the two suggested he might wish to swap that elk's tooth for this jug of fine rye whiskey.”
“The Shah wanted to swap oil for more arms.”
(obsolete, transitive)To hit, to strike.

“And he whipped his sword out of its scabbard, and swapped off the pudding from the black knight's nose. Unfortunately (for him) he swapped off a good bit of the nose, too.”
“"Maybe Apes will grow honest, Sister," said Edmund. "But, by the Lion, if he breaks it again, it may be in such time and place that any of us could swap off his head in clean battle."”
(obsolete, transitive)To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.
(intransitive, obsolete)To descend or fall; to rush hastily or violently.

noun

An exchange of two comparable things.

“I e’en changed it, as occasion served, with the skippers o’ Dutch luggers and French vessels, for gin and brandy[…] a gude swap too, between what cheereth the soul of man and that which dingeth it clean out of his body”
“Flores' nephews were each sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment in 2017 for conspiring to import cocaine, but they were released in 2022 by the Biden Administration as part of a prisoner swap with Venezuela.”
A financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of non-normal cashflow against another stream.
(informal, uncountable)Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory.

“How much swap do you need?”
A social meal at a restaurant between two university societies, usually involving drinking and banter; commonly associated with fining and pennying; equivalent to a crewdate at Oxford University.
(UK, countable, dialectal, obsolete, uncountable)A blow; a stroke.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English swappen (“to swap”), originally meaning "to hurl" or "to strike", the word alludes to striking hands together when making an exchange; probably from Old English *swappian, a…

See full etymology

From Middle English swappen (“to swap”), originally meaning "to hurl" or "to strike", the word alludes to striking hands together when making an exchange; probably from Old English *swappian, a secondary form of Old English swāpan (“to swoop”). Cognate with German schwappen (“to slosh, slop”). Compare also Middle English swippen (“to strike, hit”), from Old English swipian (“to scourge, strike, beat, lash”), Old Norse svipa (“to swoop, flash, whip, look after, look around”). More at swipe.

Anagrams of swap

9 plays · some not in Scrabble

Best play paws 9 points

Words you can make from swap

14 playable · top: PAWS (9 pts)

Best play paws 9 points

4-letter words

2 words

3-letter words

8 words

2-letter words

3 words

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

A single letter you can add to swap to make another valid word.

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SWAPS 10 pts