swipe English · revision 1118

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /swaɪp/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is perhaps a variant of [[sweep]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) partly from obsolete ''swip'' “a stroke, blow”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) related to Old English ''swipu'' “stick, whip”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) Etymonline and Barnhart also mention obsolete ''swope'' “to sweep” and ''swape'' “oar, pole” as possible influences.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As a noun, a heavy blow, a driving stroke made with the arms at full swing (before 1807; 1739 in Merriam-Webster).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to strike with a sweeping blow, is recorded from 1825, at first in Scotland,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and to drink down hastily from 1829.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The slang sense to steal is from 1885–89, originally American,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the sense to pass a card through a reader from 1985–86.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Later the word was used for drawing a finger across a touch screen.^(Wiktionary) The noun has also meant a critical remark.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1739 – noun, a sweeping blow (Merriam-Webster).^(MW Collegiate)

+ * before 1807 – noun, a heavy blow.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1825 – verb, to strike with a sweeping blow.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1829 – verb, to drink hastily.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1889 – verb, to steal.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1986 – verb, to pass a card through a reader.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A sweeping blow or stroke.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A sharp, critical remark; a [[dig]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A lever for raising a weight, especially the bucket of a well.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+ # An act of drawing a finger across a [[touch screen]], or of passing a card through a reader.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To hit or wipe with a sweeping motion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(informal)'' To steal; to [[filch]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To slide a card with a magnetic strip through a reader.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To draw a finger quickly across a touch screen.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sideswipe]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sweep]]

+ * [[swoop]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}