swash

[ swosh, swawsh ]

/ swɒʃ, swɔʃ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR swash ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to splash, as things in water, or as water does: Waves were swashing against the piers.

to dash around, as things in violent motion.

to swagger.

verb (used with object)

to dash or cast violently, especially to dash (water or other liquid) around, down, etc.

noun

the surging or dashing, sometimes violent, of water, waves, etc.

the sound made by such dashing: the thunderous swash of the waves.

the ground over which water washes.

Chiefly Southeastern U.S. a channel of water through or behind a sandbank.

Printing. an extending ornamental flourish, as on letters of certain fonts of italic or cursive type.

adjective

Printing. noting or pertaining to a character having a swash: a swash letter.

Origin of swash

First recorded in 1520–30; imitative

Words nearby swash

swarth, swarthout, swarthy, swartkrans ape-man, swartzite, swash, swash letter, swash plate, swashbuckle, swashbuckler, swashbuckling

Example sentences from the Web for swash

I cannot desert my aunt, nor can I quit the Swash alone in company with her mate.

Jack Tier or The Florida Reef |James Fenimore Cooper
Stern heard her breath, gasping and quick, above the roar and swash of the mad waters.

Darkness and Dawn |George Allan England
They are getting ready to cut us off this side of the Swash channel!

Macaria |Augusta Jane Evans Wilson
As the schooner was anchored, and floated without assistance, the Swash rode by her.

Jack Tier or The Florida Reef |James Fenimore Cooper

Leaving the good craft to pursue her way with speed and certainty, we must now return to the Swash.

Jack Tier or The Florida Reef |James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for swash

swash

/ (swɒʃ) /

verb

(intr) (esp of water or things in water) to wash or move with noisy splashing

(tr) to dash (a liquid, esp water) against or upon

(intr) archaic to swagger or bluster

noun

Also called: send the dashing movement or sound of water, such as that of waves on a beach Compare backwash

any other swashing movement or sound

a sandbar washed by the waves

Also called: swash channel a channel of moving water cutting through or running behind a sandbank

archaic

swagger or bluster
a swashbuckler

Word Origin for swash

C16: probably of imitative origin

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

swash

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

adjective

Origin of swash

Words nearby swash

Example sentences from the Web for swash

British Dictionary definitions for swash

verb

noun

Word Origin for swash

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

swash

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

adjective

Origin of swash

Words nearby swash

Words related to swash

Example sentences from the Web for swash

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for swash

verb

noun

Word Origin for swash

British Dictionary definitions for swash