swim

1. (intransitive) To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.Examples: "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 […]"; "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."; "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"."intransitive

2. (intransitive) To become immersed in, or as if in, or flooded with, or as if with, a liquidExamples: "swimming in self-pity"; "a bare few bits of meat swimming in watery sauce"intransitive

3. (intransitive) To move around freely because of excess space.Examples: "A fam'd Sur-tout he wears, which once was blue, / And his foot swims in a capacious shoe."intransitive

4. (transitive) To traverse (a specific body of water, or a specific distance) by swimming; or, to use a specific swimming stroke; or, to compete in a specific swimming event.Examples: "For exercise, we like to swim laps around the pool."; "I want to swim the 200-yard breaststroke in the finals."; "Sometimes he thought to swim the stormy main."transitive

5. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to swim.Examples: "to swim a horse across a river"; "Half of the guinea pigs were swum daily."transitiveuncommon

6. (intransitive, archaic) To float.Examples: "sink or swim"; "There's oil swimming on the water."; "Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up and all is on the hazard."archaicintransitive