swim

Etymology 1

From Middle English swymmen, from Old English swimman (“to swim, float”) (class III strong verb; past tense swamm, past participle geswummen), from Proto-West Germanic *swimman, from Proto-Germanic *swimmaną (“to swoon, lose consciousness, swim”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to be unsteady, move, swim”). Cognates Cognate with Scots sweem, soom (“to swim”), Saterland Frisian swimme (“to swim”), West Frisian swimme (“to swim, float”), Dutch zwemmen (“to swim”), German schwimmen (“to swim”), Norwegian Bokmål and Danish svømme (“to swim”), Swedish simma (“to swim”), Norwegian Nynorsk symja (“to swim”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
   We were now all upon a Level, as to our travelling; being unshipp’d, for our Bark would swim no farther, and she was too heavy to carry on our Backs […] 1720, Daniel Defoe, Captain Singleton, London: J. Brotherton, page 87
   He turned back to the scene before him and the enormous new block of council dwellings. The design was some way after Corbusier but the block was built up on plinths and resembled an Atlantic liner swimming diagonally across the site. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess
   Meanwhile, NR faced an unexpected challenge when a night watchman spotted several Koi Carp swimming in floodwater close to the railway, after they had escaped from a nearby private residence. Wilson says the owner was eventually traced, and the fish were safely returned "after enjoying swimming around in a 3,000-acre lake". May 20 2020, Paul Stephen, “NR beats floods to secure tracks to Drax”, in Rail, page 59
2. (intransitive) To become immersed in, or as if in, or flooded with, or as if with, a liquid
   swimming in self-pity
   a bare few bits of meat swimming in watery sauce
3. (intransitive) To move around freely because of excess space.
   A fam'd Sur-tout he wears, which once was blue, / And his foot swims in a capacious shoe. 1777, The Poetical Preceptor; Or, a Collection of Select Pieces of Poetry, Etc
4. (transitive) To traverse (a specific body of water, or a specific distance) by swimming; or, to utilize a specific swimming stroke; or, to compete in a specific swimming event.
   For exercise, we like to swim laps around the pool.
   I want to swim the 200-yard breaststroke in the finals.
5. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to swim.
   to swim a horse across a river
   Half of the guinea pigs were swum daily.
6. (intransitive, archaic) To float.
   sink or swim
7. (intransitive) To be overflowed or drenched.
8. (transitive) To immerse in water to make the lighter parts float.
   to swim wheat in order to select seed
9. (transitive, historical) To test (a suspected witch) by throwing into a river; those who floated rather than sinking were deemed to be witches.
10. (intransitive) To glide along with a waving motion.

noun

1. An act or instance of swimming.
   I'm going for a swim.
2. The sound, or air bladder, of a fish.
3. (UK) A part of a stream much frequented by fish.
4. A dance move of the 1960s in which the arms are moved in a freestyle swimming manner.

Etymology 2

From Middle English swime, sweme, swaime (“a dizziness, swoon, trance”), from Old English swīma (“a swoon, swimming in the head”). Cognate with Swedish svimma (“to swoon, faint”).

noun

1. A dizziness; swoon.

verb

1. (intransitive) To be dizzy or vertiginous; have a giddy sensation; to have, or appear to have, a whirling motion.
   My head was swimming after drinking two bottles of cheap wine.

Etymology 3

Abbreviation of someone who isn't me.

noun

1. (Internet slang, text messaging) Abbreviation of someone who isn't me. used as a way to avoid self-designation or self-incrimination, especially in online drug forums