| 释义 |
swiften, v. rare.|ˈswɪft(ə)n|
[f. swift a. + -en5.]
1. trans. To make swift or swifter, hasten.
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 202 Our Ambassador to swiften his dispatch, visited..the grand Favorite Mahomet Ally-beg. 1647Boyle in Birch Life B.'s Wks. 1772 I. p. xxxix, The dictionary, whose edition, had my wishes the power to swiften it, should be very sudden.
2. intr. To become swift or swifter; loosely, to move swiftly, hasten, hurry. Hence swiftening ppl. a.
1839Bailey Festus ii. 8 The thought comes swiftening over us Like a small bird winging the still blue air. 1848Lytton K. Arthur ii. lxxviii, Still, while he sped, the swifter wings that lead Seem'd to rebuke for sloth the swiftening steed. 1889Scribner's Mag. May 603 High places where on quiet afternoon A shadow swiftens by. |