Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The state or quality of being swift; speed; rapid motion; quickness; celerity; expedition.
- noun Synonyms Rapidity, Speed, etc. See
quickness .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The quality or state of being swift; speed; quickness; celerity; velocity; rapidity
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun the state of being
swift
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word swiftness.
Examples
-
Here are the swiftness of the rapid race, and the march of slow-paced majesty, exhibited by the same poet in the same sequence of syllables, except that the exact prosodist will find the line of _swiftness_ by one time longer than that of _tardiness_.
The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes Volume the Eighth: The Lives of the Poets, Volume II Samuel Johnson 1746
-
2 The Athenians are addicted to innovation, and their designs are characterized by swiftness alike in conception and execution; you have a genius for keeping what you have got, accompanied by a total want of invention, and when forced to act you never go far enough.
THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES Robert B. Strassler 2003
-
2 The Athenians are addicted to innovation, and their designs are characterized by swiftness alike in conception and execution; you have a genius for keeping what you have got, accompanied by a total want of invention, and when forced to act you never go far enough.
THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES Robert B. Strassler 2003
-
The name may be connected withgandharvva, “a horse,” associated with swiftness, which is also implied by her wings.
-
Sir Tristram, for the stranger knight was he, felt so full of strength and joy after his long leisure, that he played with Sir Palomides, and men wondered at the might of his blows, and his swiftness was a marvel to see.
King Arthur's Knights The Tales Re-told for Boys & Girls Henry Gilbert
-
The _means_ of the hare in the fable for the race (that is, her swiftness) _secured_ her; the defects of the tortoise (her slowness) proved her
-
He had moved with incredible swiftness, which is often the way of heavy men under stress of feeling.
The Forfeit Ridgwell Cullum 1905
-
Editor's note: WRT "swiftness": NASA posted it at Jan 26, 2009 02: 34: 18 PM
Jeff Hanley's Latest Update From the Denial Zone - NASA Watch 2009
-
[9] Mr. Spencer weakly argues that an advantageous attribute (such as swiftness, keen sight, courage, sagacity, strength, &c.) cannot be increased by natural selection unless it is "of greater importance, for the time being, than most of the other attributes"; and that natural selection cannot develop any one superiority when animals are equally preserved by "other superiorities."
Are the Effects of Use and Disuse Inherited? An Examination of the View Held by Spencer and Darwin
-
It is only 1146 miles in length, and is marked, as the native name indicates, by the 'swiftness' of its flow.
The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria Morris Jastrow 1891
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.