swish

swish

1. adjective Very classy, elegant, fashionable, or stylish. Primarily heard in UK. Wow, your dress is really swish! They're moving into a swish new flat next week.

2. adjective, offensive slang Effeminate; suggestive or characteristic of a stereotypical homosexual male. Primarily heard in US. Some of Tom's swish mannerisms have certainly made my dad raise his eyebrows. I try not be quite so swish when I'm around certain members of my extended family.

3. noun, offensive slang A derogatory term for a homosexual male. Primarily heard in US. He was fired for saying that he wouldn't rent the property to "a couple of swishes."

4. noun, basketball A successful shot into the basket that touches nothing but the net. The only way I can score a basket is to bank the ball off the glass. For some reason, I can never seem to get a swish. She shot a magnificent swish from the three-point line.

swish (something) off of (someone or something)

1. To remove a piece of clothing or fabric by pulling it quite quickly, producing a hissing or rustling sound as a result. He swished the sheets off of the furniture, sending clouds of dust up into the air. The magician's assistant swished his cape off of his shoulders as he rolled up his sleeves.

2. To brush, sweep, or flick something off of the surface of someone or something else. My wife swished the cat hair off of my shoulders before I left for my interview. Let me just swish these hair clippings off of the chair before you sit down, sir.

See also: of, off, swish

swish around

1. To slosh, splash, or swirl around (inside of something). A: "How can you tell the ball is waterlogged?" B: "I can hear water swishing around in it." Don't drink too much water, or you'll feel it swishing around while you're running.

2. To cause some liquid to slosh, splash, or swirl around (inside of something). In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "swish" and "around." Why do you swish your wine around in the glass like that? Swish the liquid around to help the salt dissolve into it.

See also: around, swish

swish off

1. To remove a piece of clothing or fabric by pulling it quite quickly, producing a hissing or rustling sound as a result. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swish" and "off." He swished the sheets off the furniture, sending clouds of dust up into the air. The magician's assistant swished off his cape as he rolled up his sleeves.

2. To brush, sweep, or flick something off of the surface of someone or something else. A noun or pronoun can be used between "whisk" and "away." My wife swished the cat hair off my shoulders before I left for my interview. Let me just swish off these hair clippings before you sit down in the chair, sir.

3. To take someone away (from some place) very abruptly or hurriedly; to whisk someone away. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swish" and "off." Tom swished Martin off to a side room to discuss his meeting with the board in private. I'd love it if Mary swished me off to some place exotic for our anniversary.

See also: off, swish

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

swish around

[for a fluid] to slosh or rush around. All that water I drank is swishing around in my stomach. I can hear the water swishing around in the pipes.

See also: around, swish

swish something off (of) someone or something

 and swish something off

to brush something off someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The barber swished the loose hairs off of Paul's collar. The barber swished off the loose hairs.

See also: off, swish

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

swish

(swɪʃ)

1. mod. overly fancy; effeminate; displaying effeminacy. The lobby of the theater was a little swish, but not offensive.

2. n. elaborate decoration; effeminacy. What this place needs is more swish. Hang some baubles here and there.

3. n. a gay male. (Rude and derogatory.) This place is full of swishes. Let’s leave.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.