The AI-powered English dictionary
plural swans or swan
Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage. examples
(figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan. examples
(heraldry) This bird used as a heraldic charge, sometimes with a crown around its neck (e. g. the arms of Buckinghamshire). examples
third-person singular simple present swans, present participle swanning, simple past and past participle swanned
(intransitive) To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way. quotations examples
He swans around that stinking office in his expensive clothes that are a little too tight for comfort, he swans around that stinking office without a care in the world.
2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal, Melville House Publishing, unnumbered page
One of the few strokes of good luck Emma had had in recent days was the news that Tatiana Flint-Hamilton, her only real rival for top billing as 'most photographable girl' at today's event had decided to swan off to Sardinia instead, leaving the limelight entirely to Emma.
2013, Tilly Bagshawe, One Summer’s Afternoon, HarperCollin
On the other side: the rich, beautiful tapestry of WASP culture that constituted Levis's life—friends playing horseshoes at backyard cocktail parties, where girls swanned in chaise longues, clinking their gin and tonics.
2022, Ling Ma, “G”, in Bliss Montage, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
(US, dialectal or colloquial) To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions). quotations examples
"Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."
1907 December, J. D. Archer, “Foiling an eavesdropper”, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345
‘She slammed the door so hard I figured a window'd break […] .’ ‘I swan,’ I said.
1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 214