swan
see also: Swan
Pronunciation Noun

swan (plural swans)

  1. Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.
  2. (figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
  3. (heraldiccharge) This bird used as a heraldic charge, sometimes with a crown around its neck (e. g. the arms of Buckinghamshire).
Translations Verb

swan (swans, present participle swanning; past and past participle swanned)

  1. (British, intransitive) To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way.
    • 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal, Melville House Publishing (2010), ISBN 9781935554905, unnumbered page ↗:
      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.
    • 2013, Tilly Bagshawe, One Summer’s Afternoon, HarperCollins (2013), ISBN 9780007472550, unnumbered page ↗:
      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.
Verb

swan (swans, present participle swanning; past and past participle swanned)

  1. (US, dialectal or colloquial) To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).
    • 1907 December, J. D. Archer, Foiling an eavesdropper, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345:
      "Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."
    • 1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin 2010, page 214:
      ‘She slammed the door so hard I figured a window'd break […] .’ ‘I swan,’ I said.

Swan
Noun

swan (plural swans)

  1. (soccer) someone connected with Swansea City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
    • 2013, Delme Parfitt in Wales Online, Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win (3 November 2013)
      The Swans will doubtless recover, but they will head home this evening knowing that they didn't do themselves justice in a game that means so much to supporters.
  2. (Australian rules football) someone connected with the Sydney Swans, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
Proper noun
  1. Surname



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