swivel
pronunciation
How to pronounce swivel in British English:
UK [ˈswɪvl]
How to pronounce swivel in American English:
US [ˈswɪvl]
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- Noun:
- a coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a headed pin
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- Verb:
- turn on a pivot
Word Origin
- swivel
- swivel: see swift
- swivel (n.)
- c. 1300, "coupling device that allows independent rotation," from frequentative form of stem of Old English verb swifan "to move in a course, revolve, sweep" (a class I strong verb), from Proto-Germanic *swif- (cognates: Old Frisian swiva "to be uncertain," Old Norse svifa "to rove, ramble, drift"), from PIE root *swei- (2) "to turn, bend, move in a sweeping manner." Related Middle English swive was the principal slang verb for "to have sexual intercourse with," a sense that developed c. 1300. This probably explains why, though the root is verbal, the verb swivel is not attested in Modern English until 1794. Compare Middle English phrase smal-swivinge men "men who copulate infrequently."
- swivel (v.)
- 1794 (transitive), from swivel (n.). Intransitive use from 1846. Related: Swiveled; swiveling; swivelled; swivelling.
Example
- 1. Are you sitting in a swivel office chair as you read this article ?
- 2. And the scoops swivel out of the way if they encounter anything solid , so the dredge does not destroy such protuberances .
- 3. This forces a driver to swivel shoulders and head , so that before opening the door you can see if there is a bike coming from behind .
- 4. Specs include a waterproof keypad , swappable rubber skins , 21:9 180-degree swivel touch screen that make it an ebook , tablet and notebook in one go .
- 5. Cranes grab boxes off the ship , lower them on to the flatbed trailers behind tractors , then swivel back to get the next box .