“swans” is a form of
swan
UK /swɒn/ · US /swɑn/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms swans swanning swanned swanny Swann
- noun Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.
- noun (figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
- noun (heraldry) This bird used as a heraldic charge, sometimes with a crown around its neck (e. g. the arms of Buckinghamshire).
- verb (intransitive) To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way.
- verb (US, dialectal or colloquial) To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).
- noun (Australian rules football) someone connected with the Sydney Swans, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
- proper noun A surname transferred from the nickname.
- proper noun A township and unincorporated community therein, in Noble County, Indiana.
- proper noun A minor city in Marion County, Iowa.
- proper noun An unincorporated community and township in Taney County, Missouri, named after Swan Creek.
- proper noun An unincorporated community in Smith County, Texas.
- proper noun An unincorporated community in the town of Frankfort, Marathon County, Wisconsin.
- proper noun Other townships, in Illinois, Nebraska and Ohio, listed under Swan Township.
- proper noun A local government area in Perth, Western Australia; in full, the City of Swan.
- noun (soccer) someone connected with Swansea City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
Synonyms
affirm verify assert avow aver swear roll wander stray tramp roam cast ramble rove range drift vagabond
Etymology
From Middle English swan, from Old English swan, from Proto-West Germanic *swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (“swan”, literally “the singing bird”), from Proto-Indo-European *swonh₂-/*swenh₂- (“to sing, make sound”).
Cognate with West Frisian swan, Low German Swaan, swan, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan, Danish svane, Norwegian svane, Swedish svan. Related also to Old English ġeswin (“melody, song”), Old English swinsian (“to make melody”).
Further cognates include (possibly) Russian звон (zvon, “ring, chime”); Latin sonus (“sound”), Sanskrit स्वन् (svan, “sound”).
Probably from dialectal I s’wan, a corruption of I shall warrant; or possibly from a minced form of I swear on.
* (surname): An English nickname from the swan bird.
Clipping of Swansea.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any one of numerous species of large aquatic birds belonging to Cygnus, Olor, and allied genera of the subfamily Cygninæ. They have a large and strong beak and a long neck, and are noted for their graceful movements when swimming. Most of the northern species are white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing a melodious song, especially at the time of its death.
- noun Fig.: An appellation for a sweet singer, or a poet noted for grace and melody; as Shakespeare is called the swan of Avon.
Etymology [AS. swan; akin to D. zwaan, OHG. swan, G. schwan, Icel. svanr, Sw. svan, Dan. svane; and perhaps to E. sound something audible.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “swan”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details