Chapter 129

2. [Properly, to drink like a pig. See Swill, n.] To drink in great draughts; to swallow greedily.

Well-dressed people, of both sexes, . . . devouring sliced beef, and swilling pork, and punch, and cider.

Smollett.

3. To inebriate; to fill with drink.

I should be loth To meet the rudeness and swilled insolence Of such late wassailers.

Milton.

Swill, v. i. To drink greedily or swinishly; to drink to excess. South.

Swill, n. 1. The wash, or mixture of liquid substances, given to swine; hogwash; -- called also swillings.

2. Large draughts of liquor; drink taken in excessive quantities.

Swill"er (?), n. One who swills.

Swill"ings (?), n. pl. See Swill, n., 1.

Swim (?), v. i. [imp. Swam (?) or Swum (&?;); p. p. Swum; p. pr. & vb. n. Swimming.] [AS. swimman; akin to D. zwemmen, OHG. swimman, G. schwimmen, Icel. svimma, Dan. swömme, Sw. simma. Cf. Sound an air bladder, a strait.] 1. To be supported by water or other fluid; not to sink; to float; as, any substance will swim, whose specific gravity is less than that of the fluid in which it is immersed.

2. To move progressively in water by means of strokes with the hands and feet, or the fins or the tail.

Leap in with me into this angry flood, And swim to yonder point.

Shak.

3. To be overflowed or drenched. Ps. vi. 6.

Sudden the ditches swell, the meadows swim.

Thomson.

4. Fig.: To be as if borne or floating in a fluid.

[They] now swim in joy.

Milton.

5. To be filled with swimming animals. [Obs.]

[Streams] that swim full of small fishes.

Chaucer.

Swim, v. t. 1. To pass or move over or on by swimming; as, to swim a stream.

Sometimes he thought to swim the stormy main.

Dryden.

2. To cause or compel to swim; to make to float; as, to swim a horse across a river.

3. To immerse in water that the lighter parts may float; as, to swim wheat in order to select seed.

Swim, n. 1. The act of swimming; a gliding motion, like that of one swimming. B. Jonson.

2. The sound, or air bladder, of a fish.

3. A part of a stream much frequented by fish. [Eng.]

Swim bladder, an air bladder of a fish. -- To be in the swim, to be in a favored position; to be associated with others in active affairs. [Colloq.]

Swim, v. i. [OE. swime dizziness, vertigo, AS. swma; akin to D. zwijm, Icel. svimi dizziness, svina to subside, sva to abate, G. schwindel dizziness, schwinden to disappear, to dwindle, OHG. swnan to dwindle. Cf. Squemish, Swindler.] To be dizzy; to have an unsteady or reeling sensation; as, the head swims.

Swim"bel (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A moaning or sighing sound or noise; a sough. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Swim"mer (?), n. 1. One who swims.

2. (Far.) A protuberance on the leg of a horse.

3. (Zoöl.) A swimming bird; one of the natatores.

Little swimmer (Zoöl.), a phalarope.

Swim"mer*et (?), n. (Zoöl.) One of a series of flat, fringed, and usually bilobed, appendages, of which several pairs occur on the abdominal somites of many crustaceans. They are used as fins in swimming.

Swim"ming (?), a. 1. That swims; capable of swimming; adapted to, or used in, swimming; as, a swimming bird; a swimming motion.

2. Suffused with moisture; as, swimming eyes.

Swimming bell (Zoöl.), a nectocalyx. See Illust. under Siphonophora. -- Swimming crab (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of marine crabs, as those of the family Protunidæ, which have some of the joints of one or more pairs of legs flattened so as to serve as fins.

Swim"ming, n. The act of one who swims.

Swim"ming, a. [From Swim to be dizzy.] Being in a state of vertigo or dizziness; as, a swimming brain.

Swim"ming, n. Vertigo; dizziness; as, a swimming in the head. Dryden.

Swim"ming*ly, adv. In an easy, gliding manner, as if swimming; smoothly; successfully; prosperously.

Swim"ming*ness, n. Act or state of swimming; suffusion. "A swimmingness in the eye." Congreve.

Swinck (?), v. & n. See Swink. [Obs.]

Swin"dle (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swindled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swindling (?).] [See Swindler.] To cheat defraud grossly, or with deliberate artifice; as, to swindle a man out of his property.

Lammote . . . has swindled one of them out of three hundred livres.

Carlyle.

Swin"dle, n. The act or process of swindling; a cheat.

Swin"dler (?), n. [G. schwindler, fr. schwindlen to be dizzy, to act thoughtlessly, to cheat, fr. schwindel dizziness, fr. schwinden to vanish, to disappear, to dwindle. See Swim to be dizzy.] One who swindles, or defrauds grossly; one who makes a practice of defrauding others by imposition or deliberate artifice; a cheat.

Syn. -- Sharper; rogue. -- Swindler, Sharper. These words agree in describing persons who take unfair advantages. A swindler is one who obtains money or goods under false pretenses. A sharper is one who cheats by sharp practice, as in playing at cards or staking what he can not pay.

Fraud and injustice soon follow, and the dignity of the British merchant is sunk in the scandalous appellation of a swindler.

V. Knox.

Perhaps you 'll think I act the same As a sly sharper plays his game.

Cotton.

Swin"dler*y (?), n. Swindling; rougery. [R.] "Swindlery and blackguardism." Carlyle.

Swine (?), n.sing. & pl. [OE. swin, AS. swn; akin to OFries. & OS. swin, D. zwijn, G. schwein, OHG. swn, Icel. svn, Sw. svin, Dan. sviin, Goth. swein; originally a diminutive corresponding to E. sow. See Sow, n.] (Zoöl.) Any animal of the hog kind, especially one of the domestical species. Swine secrete a large amount of subcutaneous fat, which, when extracted, is known as lard. The male is specifically called boar, the female, sow, and the young, pig. See Hog. "A great herd of swine." Mark v. 11.

Swine grass (Bot.), knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare); -- so called because eaten by swine. -- Swine oat (Bot.), a kind of oat sometimes grown for swine. -- Swine's cress (Bot.), a species of cress of the genus Senebiera (S. Coronopus). -- Swine's head, a dolt; a blockhead. [Obs.] Chaucer. - - Swine thistle (Bot.), the sow thistle.

Swine"bread` (?), n. (Bot.) The truffle.

Swine"case` (?), n. A hogsty. [Prov. Eng.]

Swine"cote` (?), n. A hogsty. [Prov. Eng.]

Swine"crue` (?), n. [Swine + Prov. E. crue a coop.] A hogsty. [Prov. Eng.]

Swine"fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The wolf fish.

Swine"herd` (?), n. A keeper of swine.

Swine"pipe` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The European redwing. [Prov. Eng.]

Swine"-pox` (?), n. (Med.) A variety of the chicken pox, with acuminated vesicles containing a watery fluid; the water pox. Pepys.

Swin"er*y (swn"r*), n. Same as Piggery. [R.]

Swine"stone` (?), n. (Min.) See Stinkstone.

Swine"sty` (?), n. A sty, or pen, for swine.

Swing (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Swung (?); Archaic imp. Swang (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swinging.] [OE. swingen, AS. swingan to scourge, to fly, to flutter; akin to G. schwingen to winnow, to swingle, oscillate, sich schwingen to leap, to soar, OHG. swingan to throw, to scourge, to soar, Sw. svinga to swing, to whirl, Dan. svinge. Cf. Swagger, Sway, Swinge, Swink.] 1. To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to wave; to vibrate; to oscillate.

I tried if a pendulum would swing faster, or continue swinging longer, in case of exsuction of the air.

Boyle.

2. To sway or move from one side or direction to another; as, the door swung open.

3. To use a swing; as, a boy swings for exercise or pleasure. See Swing, n., 3.

4. (Naut.) To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.

5. To be hanged. [Colloq.] D. Webster.

To swing round the circle, to make a complete circuit. [Colloq.]

He had swung round the circle of theories and systems in which his age abounded, without finding relief.

A. V. G. Allen.

Swing, v. t. 1. To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward and forward, or from one side to the other.

He swings his tail, and swiftly turns his round.

Dryden.

They get on ropes, as you must have seen the children, and are swung by their men visitants.

Spectator.

2. To give a circular movement to; to whirl; to brandish; as, to swing a sword; to swing a club; hence, colloquially, to manage; as, to swing a business.

3. (Mach.) To admit or turn (anything) for the purpose of shaping it; -- said of a lathe; as, the lathe can swing a pulley of 12 inches diameter.

To swing a door, gate, etc. (Carp.), to put it on hinges so that it can swing or turn.

Swing (?), n. 1. The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation; as, the swing of a pendulum.

2. Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other; as, some men walk with a swing.

3. A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing; especially, an apparatus for recreation by swinging, commonly consisting of a rope, the two ends of which are attached overhead, as to the bough of a tree, a seat being placed in the loop at the bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is produced for amusement or exercise.

4. Influence of power of a body put in swaying motion.

The ram that batters down the wall, For the great swing and rudeness of his poise, They place before his hand that made the engine.

Shak.

5. Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.

6. Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency. "Take thy swing." Dryden.

To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to the full swing of his genius.

Burke.

Full swing. See under Full. -- Swing beam (Railway Mach.), a crosspiece sustaining the car body, and so suspended from the framing of a truck that it may have an independent lateral motion. -- Swing bridge, a form of drawbridge which swings horizontally, as on a vertical pivot. -- Swing plow, or Swing plough. (a) A plow without a fore wheel under the beam. (b) A reversible or sidehill plow. -- Swing wheel. (a) The scape-wheel in a clock, which drives the pendulum. (b) The balance of a watch.

Swing"dev`il (?), n. (Zoöl.) [So named from its swift flight and dark color, which give it an uncanny appearance.] The European swift. [Prov. Eng.]

Swinge (swnj), v. & n. See Singe. [Obs.] Spenser.

Swinge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swinged (swnjd); p. pr. & vb. n. Swingeing (swnj"ng).] [OE. swengen, AS. swengan to shake, causative of swingan. See Swing.] 1. To beat soundly; to whip; to chastise; to punish.

I had swinged him soundly.

Shak.

And swinges his own vices in his son.

C. Dryden.

2. To move as a lash; to lash. [Obs.]

Swinges the scaly horror of his folded tail.

Milton.

Swinge, n. 1. The sweep of anything in motion; a swinging blow; a swing. [Obs.] Waller.

2. Power; sway; influence. [Obs.]

Swinge"buc`kler (?), n. A swashbuckler; a bully; a roisterer. [Obs.] Shak.

Swinge"ing, a. Huge; very large. [Colloq.] Arbuthnot. Byron. -- Swinge"ing*ly, adv. Dryden.

Swin"gel (?), n. [AS. swingele whip, scourge. See Swing.] The swinging part of a flail which falls on the grain in thrashing; the swiple.

Swing"er (?), n. One who swings or whirls.

Swin"ger (?), n. 1. One who swinges.

2. Anything very large, forcible, or astonishing. [Obs. or Colloq.] Herrick.

Swin"gle (?), v. i. [Freq. of swing.] 1. To dangle; to wave hanging. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. To swing for pleasure. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Swin"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swingled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swingling (?).] [See Swingel.] 1. To clean, as flax, by beating it with a swingle, so as to separate the coarse parts and the woody substance from it; to scutch.

2. To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; -- said of weeds. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.

Swin"gle, n. A wooden instrument like a large knife, about two feet long, with one thin edge, used for beating and cleaning flax; a scutcher; -- called also swingling knife, swingling staff, and swingling wand.

Swin"gle*bar` (?), n. A swingletree. De Quincey.

Swin"gle*tail` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The thrasher, or fox shark. See Thrasher.

Swin"gle*tree` (?), n. [So named in allusion to its swinging. See Swingle, v. i., and cf. Swingtree.] A whiffletree, or whippletree. See Singletree.

Swin"gling (?), a. & n. from Swingle, v. t.

Swingling tow, the coarse part of flax, separated from the finer by swingling and hatcheling.

Swing"tree` (?), n. The bar of a carriage to which the traces are fastened; the whiffletree.

Swin"ish (?), a. Of or pertaining to swine; befitting swine; like swine; hoggish; gross; beasty; as, a swinish drunkard or sot. "Swinish gluttony." Milton. -- Swin"ish*ly, adv. -- Swin"ish*ness, n.

Swink (?), v. i. [imp. Swank (?), Swonk (&?;); p. p. Swonken (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swinking.] [AS. swincan, akin to swingan. See Swing.] To labor; to toil; to salve. [Obs. or Archaic]

Or swink with his hands and labor.

Chaucer.

For which men swink and sweat incessantly.

Spenser.

The swinking crowd at every stroke pant "Ho."

Sir Samuel Freguson.

Swink, v. t. 1. To cause to toil or drudge; to tire or exhaust with labor. [Obs.]

And the swinked hedger at his supper sat.

Milton.

2. To acquire by labor. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

To devour all that others swink.

Chaucer.

Swink, n. [As. swinc, geswinc.] Labor; toil; drudgery. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

Swink"er (?), n. A laborer. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Swin"ney (?), n. (Far.) See Sweeny.

Swipe (?), n. [Cf. Sweep, Swiple.] 1. A swape or sweep. See Sweep.

2. A strong blow given with a sweeping motion, as with a bat or club.

Swipes [in cricket] over the blower's head, and over either of the long fields.

R. A. Proctor.

3. pl. Poor, weak beer; small beer. [Slang, Eng.] [Written also swypes.] Craig.

<! p. 1460 !>

Swipe (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swiped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swiping.] 1. To give a swipe to; to strike forcibly with a sweeping motion, as a ball.

Loose balls may be swiped almost ad libitum.

R. A. Proctor.

2. To pluck; to snatch; to steal. [Slang, U.S.]

Swi"ple (?), n. [See Swipe.] That part of a flail which strikes the grain in thrashing; a swingel. [Written also swipel, and swipple.]

Swip"per (?), a. [From AS. swipian to whip, shake, whirl; akin to swpan to sweep. See Swoop.] Nimble; quick. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Slang]

Swirl (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Swirled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swirling.] [Akin to Norw. svirla to whirl, freq. of sverra to whirl, Dan. svirre, G. schwirren to whiz, to buzz. &radic;177. See Swarm, n.] To whirl, or cause to whirl, as in an eddy. "The river swirled along." C. Kingsley.

Swirl, n. A whirling motion; an eddy, as of water; a whirl. "The silent swirl of bats." Mrs. Browning.

Swish (?), v. t. [From the sound. Cf. Swash.] 1. To flourish, so as to make the sound swish. Coleridge.

2. To flog; to lash. [Slang] Thackeray.

Swish, v. i. To dash; to swash.

Swish, n. 1. A sound of quick movement, as of something whirled through the air. [Colloq.]

2. (Naut.) Light driven spray. [Eng.]

Swiss (?), n.sing. & pl. [F. Suisse, of German origin. Cf. Switzer.] A native or inhabitant of Switzerland; a Switzer; the people of Switzerland.

Swiss, a. Of or pertaining to Switzerland, or the people of Switzerland.

Switch (?), n. [Cf. OD. swick a scourage, a whip. Cf. Swink, Swing.] 1. A small, flexible twig or rod.

Mauritania, on the fifth medal, leads a horse with something like a thread; in her other hand she holds a switch.

Addison.

2. (Railways) A movable part of a rail; or of opposite rails, for transferring cars from one track to another.

3. A separate mass or trees of hair, or of some substance (at jute) made to resemble hair, worn on the head by women.

4. (Elec.) A mechanical device for shifting an electric current to another circuit.

Safety switch (Railways), a form of switch contrived to prevent or lessen the danger of derailment of trains. -- Switch back (Railways), an arrangement of tracks whereby elevations otherwise insurmountable are passed. The track ascends by a series of zigzags, the engine running alternately forward and back, until the summit is reached. -- Switch board (Elec.), a collection of switches in one piece of apparatus, so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected or combined in any desired manner. -- Switch grass. (Bot.) See under Grass.

Switch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Switched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Switching.] 1. To strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip. Chapman.

2. To swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane.

3. To trim, as, a hedge. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

4. To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; -- generally with off, from, etc.; as, to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another.

5. (Eccl.) To shift to another circuit.

Switch, v. i. To walk with a jerk. [Prov. Eng.]

Switch"el (?), n. [See Sweet.] A beverage of molasses and water, seasoned with vinegar and ginger. [U. S.]

Switch"ing, a. & n. from Switch, v.

Switching engine, a locomotive for switching cars from one track to another, and making up trains; -- called also switch engine. [U.S.]

Switch"man (?), n.; pl. Switchmen (&?;). One who tends a switch on a railway.

Switch"y (?), a. Whisking. [Colloq.] Coombe.

Swithe (?), adv. [AS. sw&?;e strongly, violently.] Instantly; quickly; speedily; rapidly. [Obs.]

That thou doest, do thou swithe.

Wyclif (John xiii. 27).

Switz"er (?), n. [Cf. G. schweizer. Cf. Swiss.] A native or inhabitant of Switzerland; a Swiss.

Swive (?), v. t. [OE. swiven, fr. AS. swfan. See Swivel.] To copulate with (a woman). [Obs.] Chaucer.

Swiv"el (?), n. [AS. swfan to move quickly, to remove; akin to Icel. sveifla to whirl, shake, svfa to ramble, to turn. See Swoop, and cf. Swift a reel, Swift, a.] 1. (Mech.) A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another piece by a pin, in such a manner as to permit rotation about the pin as an axis.

2. (Mil.) A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or swivel; -- called also swivel gun. Wilhelm.

Swivel bridge, a kind of drawbridge that turns round on a vertical axis; a swing bridge. -- Swivel hook, a hook connected with the iron strap of a pulley block by a swivel joint, for readily taking the turns out of a tackle. -- Swivel joint, a joint, the two pieces composing which turn round, with respect to each other, on a longitudinal pin or axis, as in a chain, to prevent twisting.

Swiv"el, v. i. To swing or turn, as on a pin or pivot.

Swiv"el-eyed` (?), a. Squint- eyed. [Prov. Eng.]

Swiz"zle (?), v. t. To drink; to swill. Halliwell.

Swiz"zle, n. Ale and beer mixed; also, drink generally. [Prov. Eng.]

Swob (?), n. & v. See Swab.

Swob"ber (?), n. 1. See Swabber.

2. pl. Four privileged cards, formerly used in betting at the game of whist. [Written also swabber.] Swift.

Swoll"en (?), p. p. of Swell.

Swoll"en, a. Enlarged by swelling; immoderately increased; as, swollen eyes; swollen streams.

Swoln (?). Contraction of Swollen, p. p. Milton.

Swom (?), obs. imp. of Swim. Shak.

Swoon (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Swooned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swooning.] [OE. swounen, swoghenen, for swo&?;nien, fr. swo&?;en to sigh deeply, to droop, AS. swgan to sough, sigh; cf. geswgen senseless, swooned, geswwung a swooning. Cf. Sough.] To sink into a fainting fit, in which there is an apparent suspension of the vital functions and mental powers; to faint; -- often with away.

The sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

Lam. ii. 11.

The most in years . . . swooned first away for pain.

Dryden.

He seemed ready to swoon away in the surprise of joy.

Tatler.

Swoon, n. A fainting fit; syncope.

Swoon"ing, a. & n. from Swoon, v. -- Swoon"ing*ly, adv.

Swoop (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swooped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swooping.] [OE. swopen, usually, to sweep, As. swpan to sweep, to rush; akin to G. schweifen to rove, to ramble, to curve, OHG. sweifan to whirl, Icel. sveipa to sweep; also to AS. swfan to move quickly. Cf. Sweep, Swift, a. & n., Swipe, Swivel.] 1. To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing; as, a hawk swoops a chicken.

2. To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.

And now at last you came to swoop it all.

Dryden.

The grazing ox which swoops it [the medicinal herb] in with the common grass.

Glanvill.

Swoop, v. i. 1. To descend with closed wings from a height upon prey, as a hawk; to stoop.

2. To pass with pomp; to sweep. [Obs.] Drayton.

Swoop, n. A falling on and seizing, as the prey of a rapacious bird; the act of swooping.

The eagle fell, . . . and carried away a whole litter of cubs at a swoop.

L'Estrange.

Swoop"stake` (?), n. See Sweepstake. [Obs.]

Swoop"stake`, adv. Altogether; indiscriminately. [R.] Shak.

Swop (?), v. & n. Same as Swap. Dryden.

Sword (srd), n. [OE. swerd, AS. sweord; akin to OFries. swerd, swird, D. zwaard, OS. swerd, OHG. swert, G. schwert, Icel. sverð, Sw. svärd, Dan. sværd; of uncertain origin.] 1. An offensive weapon, having a long and usually sharp-pointed blade with a cutting edge or edges. It is the general term, including the small sword, rapier, saber, scimiter, and many other varieties.

2. Hence, the emblem of judicial vengeance or punishment, or of authority and power.

He [the ruler] beareth not the sword in vain.

Rom. xiii. 4.

She quits the balance, and resigns the sword.

Dryden.

3. Destruction by the sword, or in battle; war; dissension.

I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Matt. x. 34.

4. The military power of a country.

He hath no more authority over the sword than over the law.

Milton.

5. (Weaving) One of the end bars by which the lay of a hand loom is suspended.

Sword arm, the right arm. -- Sword bayonet, a bayonet shaped somewhat like a sword, and which can be used as a sword. -- Sword bearer, one who carries his master's sword; an officer in London who carries a sword before the lord mayor when he goes abroad. -- Sword belt, a belt by which a sword is suspended, and borne at the side. -- Sword blade, the blade, or cutting part, of a sword. -- Sword cane, a cane which conceals the blade of a sword or dagger, as in a sheath. -- Sword dance. (a) A dance in which swords are brandished and clashed together by the male dancers. Sir W. Scott. (b) A dance performed over swords laid on the ground, but without touching them. -- Sword fight, fencing; a combat or trial of skill with swords; swordplay. -- Sword grass. (Bot.) See Gladen. -- Sword knot, a ribbon tied to the hilt of a sword. -- Sword law, government by the sword, or by force; violence. Milton. -- Sword lily. (Bot.) See Gladiolus. -- Sword mat (Naut.), a mat closely woven of yarns; -- so called from a wooden implement used in its manufacture. -- Sword shrimp (Zoöl.), a European shrimp (Pasiphæa sivado) having a very thin, compressed body. -- Sword stick, a sword cane. -- To measure swords with one. See under Measure, v. t. -- To put to the sword. See under Put.

Sword"bill` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A humming bird (Docimastes ensiferus) having a very long, slender bill, exceeding the length of the body of the bird.

Sword"ed, a. [Cf. AS. geswurdod.] Girded with a sword. Milton.

Sword"er (?), n. One who uses, or fights with, a sword; a swordsman; a soldier; a cutthroat. [Obs.] Shak.

Sword"fish` (?), n. 1. (Zoöl.) (a) A very large oceanic fish (Xiphias gladius), the only representative of the family Xiphiidæ. It is highly valued as a food fish. The bones of the upper jaw are consolidated, and form a long, rigid, swordlike beak; the dorsal fin is high and without distinct spines; the ventral fins are absent. The adult is destitute of teeth. It becomes sixteen feet or more long. (b) The gar pike. (c) The cutlass fish.

2. (Astron.) A southern constellation. See Dorado, 1.

Swordfish sucker (Zoöl.), a remora (Remora brachyptera) which attaches itself to the swordfish.

Sword"ick (?), n. (Zoöl.) The spotted gunnel (Murænoides gunnellus). [Prov. Eng.]

Sword"ing (?), n. Slashing with a sword. Tennyson.

Sword"less (?), a. Destitute of a sword.

Sword"man (?), n.; pl. Swordmen (&?;). A swordsman. "Sinewy swordmen." Shak.

Sword"play` (?), n. Fencing; a sword fight.