Crossword clues for swifter
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Swift \Swift\ (sw[i^]ft), a. [Compar. Swifter (sw[i^]ft"[~e]r); superl. Swiftest.] [AS. swift; akin to sw[=a]pan to sweep, swipu a whip; cf. sw[=i]fan to move quickly, to revolve. See Swoop, v. i., and cf. Swivel, Squib.]
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Moving a great distance in a short time; moving with celerity or velocity; fleet; rapid; quick; speedy; prompt.
My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
--James i. 19.Swift of dispatch and easy of access.
--Dryden.And bring upon themselves swift destruction.
--2 Pet. ii. 1. -
Of short continuance; passing away quickly.
--Shak.Note: Swift is often used in the formation of compounds which are generally self-explaining; as, swift-darting, swift-footed, swift-winged, etc.
Syn: Quick; fleet; speedy; rapid; expeditious.
Swifter \Swift"er\, n. [Cf. Swivel.] (Naut.)
A rope used to retain the bars of the capstan in their sockets while men are turning it.
A rope used to encircle a boat longitudinally, to strengthen and defend her sides.
The forward shroud of a lower mast.
Swifter \Swift"er\, v. t. (Naut.) To tighten, as slack standing rigging, by bringing the opposite shrouds nearer.
Wiktionary
Etymology 1
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(en-comparative of: swift) Etymology 2
n. 1 (context nautical English) A rope used to retain the bars of the capstan in their sockets while it is being turned. 2 (context nautical English) A rope used to encircle a boat longitudinally, to strengthen and defend her sides. 3 (context nautical English) The forward shroud of a lower mast. v
(context nautical transitive English) To tighten (e.g. slack standing rigging) by bringing the opposite shrouds nearer.
Usage examples of "swifter".
Their horses broke into a canter, and with the swifter movement Domini felt more calm.
The slow movement of the camels, the swifter movements of the circling pigeons about the square towers on the hill, the motionless, or gently-gliding, Arabs with their clubs held slantwise, the telegraph poles, one smaller than the other, diminishing till--as if magically-- they disappeared in the lemon that was growing into gold, were woven together for her by the shuttle of the desert into a softly brilliant tapestry--one of those tapestries that is like a legend struck to sleep as the Beauty in her palace.
That beauteous frame was now no more, and she started from before him, swifter than the winds, a timid and listening hare.
Modred started with horror, and in his turn fled away swifter than the winds.
At length, swifter than the winged hawk, she flew towards the spot, and seized the sacred and inviolable arm of the holy Druid, which was lifted up to strike the final blow.
His pace was swifter than that of the zephyr when it sweeps along over the unbending corn.
If I but stamp my foot, if I but wave this wand, they fly swifter than the wings of thought to my presence.
She felt within herself the same moving power that she sensed in the Duke, although in her it ran swifter, lighter.
The snow sprinted on either side, like sparks from a blade that is being sharpened, the whiteness round about ran swifter, swifter, in pure flame the white slope flew against her, and she fused like one molten, dancing globule, rushed through a white intensity.
They arose, their swirl forming a cloud as high as the head of the seated woman who had so commanded them, and now they traveled, swifter than any cloud, from above the dais out over the seats, those which were empty, alas, and those which still had occupants.
On three sides it was surrounded by water, which flowed with a swifter current in midstream.
She had settled lower and lower in the water, and suddenly with a sound of rending planks she thrust down her bows like a diving water-fowl, her stern flew up into the air, and with a long sucking noise she shot down swifter and swifter until the leaping waves closed over her high poop lantern.
It would have been swifter for the man to shout from on high, but this was not Owl land.
It has been seen to run fleeter than a hound and fly swifter than an eagle.
Their elfin steeds were better adapted to the world of mortalkind, and able to make swifter progress while levitating.