swan

noun

1. 1

   Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.

2. 2

   figurativeOne whose grace etc. suggests a swan.

3. 3

   This bird used as a heraldic charge, sometimes with a crown around its neck (e. g. the arms of Buckinghamshire).

verb

1. 1

   To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way.

   He swans around that stinking office in his expensive clothes that are a little too tight for comfort, he swans around that stinking office without a care in the world.

   One of the few strokes of good luck Emma had had in recent days was the news that Tatiana Flint-Hamilton, her only real rival for top billing as 'most photographable girl' at today's event had decided to swan off to Sardinia instead, leaving the limelight entirely to Emma.

   On the other side: the rich, beautiful tapestry of WASP culture that constituted Levis's life—friends playing horseshoes at backyard cocktail parties, where girls swanned in chaise longues, clinking their gin and tonics.

   He developed the Capitalcard, which combined Tube and train travel - a return fare from a NSE station would include free Tube travel for the day after 0930, with the slogan 'Swanning around London' on posters featuring the bird.

verb

1. 1

   To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).

   "Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."

   ‘She slammed the door so hard I figured a window'd break […].’ ‘I swan,’ I said.

Forms

plural

swans

past tense

swanned

past participle

swanned

present participle

swanning

third person singular

swans