swift

• n. 褐雨燕
• adj. 快的；迅速的；敏捷的；立刻的
• adv. 迅速地
• n. (Swift)人名；(英)斯威夫特

来自古英语 swift,快速的，来自 Proto-Germanic*swiftaz,快速的，来自 PIE*sweip,缠绕，弯曲， 来自 PIE*swei,弯，转，摇摆，词源同 swing,sweep.引申诸相关词义。

1. small plain-colored bird that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight

2. common western lizard; seen on logs or rocks

swift

swift: [OE] The etymological meaning of swift appears to be ‘moving along a course’; ‘speed’ is a secondary development. It goes back ultimately to the prehistoric Germanic base *swei- ‘swing, bend’, which also produced English sweep, swivel [14], and the long defunct swive ‘copulate with’ (a descendant of Old English swīfan ‘move in a course’). Its use as a name for the fast-flying swallow-like bird dates from the 17th century.
=> sweep, swivel

swift (adj.)

Old English swift "moving quickly," perhaps originally "turning quickly," from Proto-Germanic swip- (see swivel (n.)). Related: Swiftly; swiftness.

swift (n.)

type of bird (several species of the family Cypselidæ, resembling swallows), 1660s, from swift (adj.) in reference to its swift flight. Regarded as a bird of ill-omen, if not downright demonic, probably for its shrill cry. The name earlier had been given to several small fast lizards (1520s).

fast, quick, rapid, swift, hasty, prompt, speedy, instant

这几个形容词都有"快，迅速"之意。

fast： 常指人或物持续地高速运动，强调运动的方式。

quick： 特指瞬时动作，强调动作敏捷迅速；也指匆忙的行为，而不暗示速度很快。

rapid比fast和quick正式，常指运动本身，侧重速度惊人。所指动作可能是短暂的，也可能是持续的。

swift： 正式用词，强调非常迅速，往往含动作轻快敏捷之意。

hasty： 多指匆忙、草率或仓促的行动，着重缺乏深思熟虑。

prompt： 主要指动作迅速，毫不拖延，含"快得令人愉悦"的意味。

speedy： 指人或物或其运动、活动时，着重极度的快捷，多含匆忙意味。

instant： 指某事很快发生或急待解决，含刻不容缓之意。

When Jonathan Swift proposed, in 1729, that the people of Ireland eat their children, he insisted it would solve three problems at once: feed the hungry masses, reduce the population during a severe depression, and stimulate the restaurant business.

出自-2015年12月阅读原文

Necessity will force the swift adoption of more efficient ones.

出自-2013年6月阅读原文

Responsible for the change has been the astonishingly swift development in recent years of the computer.

出自-2013年6月听力原文

Taylor's swift action helped her teammates calm down.

2017年高考英语北京卷 阅读理解 阅读A 原文

swift action

迅速的行动

牛津词典

a swift decision

迅即作出的决定

牛津词典

The White House was swift to deny the rumours.

白宫立刻对这些传言予以否认。

牛津词典

a swift current

湍急的水流

牛津词典

a swift runner

跑得飞快的人

牛津词典

She moved swiftly to the rescue.

她迅速赶来营救。

牛津词典

Our task is to challenge the UN to make a swift decision...

我们的任务是敦促联合国快速做出决策。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

The police were swift to act.

警方行动迅速。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

With a swift movement, Matthew Jerrold sat upright.

马修· 杰罗尔德迅速坐直了。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

The landing is both swift and sure.

落地既快又稳.

期刊摘选

He is swift with his judgments.

他判断迅速.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

The domestic electronic payment is assuming the geometry numerical expression swift growth.

国内电子支付正呈几何数式地快速增长.

期刊摘选

He made a remarkably swift recovery.

他康复得相当快.

《简明英汉词典》

He is as swift of foot as a hare.

他跑得像兔子一样快.

《简明英汉词典》

Swept along by the swift current, he was in imminent danger of going over the falls.

他被急流冲走, 跌入瀑布的危险已迫在眉睫.

《用法词典》

A brave fellow is as good as his words, a swift horse needs no spurring.

好汉一言, 快马一鞭.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

She is swift to anger.

她爱生气.

《简明英汉词典》

A swift change is longed for, but unlikely.

人们期盼着更快的变化, 但不太可能.

《简明英汉词典》

The current is swift.

水流湍急.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

The flood roared on, swift and violent.

水势迅猛异常.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

He gave them a swift glance.

他迅速地朝他们瞥了一眼.

《简明英汉词典》

He has a swift wit.

他有急智.

《简明英汉词典》

He plunged into the swift current and rescued one child after another.

他纵身跳进了激流,救起了一个又一个孩子.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

In the swift the day before that year's wheat harvest, a rainstorm threatened.

在那一年麦收的前一天, 一场暴雨眼看就要来临.

《简明英汉词典》

A swift clap of thunder woke me.

一阵突然的雷鸣把我惊醒.

《简明英汉词典》

Light and shade come in swift alternation ; Days and months flash by as quickly as a weaver's shuttle.

光阴似箭,日月如梭.

《现代汉英综合大词典》