Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense swipes, present participle swiping, past tense, past participle swiped
1. verb
If you swipeat a person or thing, you try to hit them with a stick or other object, making a swinging movement with your arm.
She swiped at Rusty as though he was a fly. [VERB + at]
He swiped me across the shoulder with the poker. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: hit out, strike, slap, lash out at More Synonyms of swipe
Swipe is also a noun.
He took a swipe at Andrew that deposited him on the floor.
2. verb
If you swipe something, you steal it quickly.
[informal]
Five soldiers were each fined £140 for swiping a wheelchair from a disabled tourist. [VERB noun]
Everywhere I went, people kept trying to swipe my copy of The New York Times. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: steal, nick [slang, mainly British], pinch [informal], lift [informal] More Synonyms of swipe
3. countable noun
If you take a swipe at a person or an organization, you criticize them, usually in an indirect way.
The song took a swipe at greedy property developers.
In a swipe at the President, he called for an end to 'begging for aid around theworld'.
4. verb
If you swipe a credit card or swipe card through a machine, you pass it through a narrow space in the machine so that the machine can read information on the card's magnetic strip.
Swipe your card through the phone, then dial. [V n + through]
[Also VERB noun]
5. verb
If you swipe, you move your finger across the screen of a phone or computer in order to give it an instruction.
Swipe right to answer the call, or swipe left to dismiss the call. [VERB adverb]
Swipe the screen to unlock. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of swipe
swipe in British English
(swaɪp)
verb
1. (whenintr, usually foll by at) informal
to hit hard with a sweeping blow
2. (transitive) slang
to steal
3. (transitive)
to pass a machine-readable card, such as a credit card, debit card, etc, through a machine that electronically interprets the information encoded, usually in a magnetic strip, on the card
4.
to move a finger across a touchscreen on an electronic device as a means of inputting a command
5. swipe left
6. swipe right
noun
7. informal
a hard blow
8.
an unexpected criticism of someone or something while discussing another subject
9.
an instance of moving a finger across a touchscreen on an electronic device
10. Also called: sweep
a type of lever for raising and lowering a weight, such as a bucket in a well
Word origin
C19: perhaps related to sweep
swipe in American English
(swaɪp)
noun
1.
a lever or handle
2. Informal
a.
a hard, sweeping blow
b.
a sweeping motion
give the table a swipe with a rag
3. Informal
a groom for horses, esp. at a racetrack
verb transitiveWord forms: swiped or ˈswiping
4. Informal
a.
to hit with a hard, sweeping blow
b.
to wipe with a sweeping motion
5. US, Slang
to steal; pilfer
6.
to pass (a credit card or other magnetically encoded card) across or through an electronicdevice that reads it
verb intransitive
7.
to make a sweeping blow, stroke, or motion
Word origin
prob. var. of sweep
Examples of 'swipe' in a sentence
swipe
We already have technology where you swipe your phone and pay for things.
The Sun (2011)
Nor are they simply satirical swipes at the monstrous power of the royal whim.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
This allows you to scroll with the swipe of a finger.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The machine that staff use to swipe your card could be a skimming device.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
When a user swipes their phone on a special pad the money will be deducted from their account.
The Sun (2011)
It avoids any kind of social comment or satirical swipe at a society obsessed by winners and dismissive of losers.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To protect patient confidentiality, records can be accessed only with a swipe card and a code.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Security is helped by three undercover compounds, accessed free by a swipe card.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The doors to the labs had swipe cards, but to help the workers they were left open.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A credit card swipe will be taken on arrival at the hotel to cover any extra expense incurred.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It's one swipe after another, biting the hand that feeds him.
The Sun (2014)
They were all swiping their phones in the same way, capturing creatures that weren't there.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Since Dunblane, most schools have card swipes and entry phones.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Founded in 1996, his company enables people to settle bills instantly with a swipe card.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
And he took another swipe at Hamilton this week, insisting he was right to accuse him of driving too slowly.
The Sun (2015)
Use your finger to swipe gold dust subtly over eyelids, or apply with a brush if you're going for an intense effect.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Your job is to cut it at the right time with a swipe of your finger, sending it swinging in the hungry chap's direction.
The Sun (2010)
For anything under 20 euros, the retailer just keys in the amount or scans the barcode before the phone is swiped across the front of a sensor.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
swipe
British English: swipe VERB
If you swipe at a person or thing, you try to hit them with a stick or other object, making a swinging movement with your arm.
She swiped at him as though he was a fly.
American English: swipe
Brazilian Portuguese: acertar com um objeto
Chinese: 抡打
European Spanish: golpear
French: frapper
German: schlagen
Italian: cercare di colpire
Japanese: ぶん殴る
Korean: 후려치다
European Portuguese: acertar com um objeto
Latin American Spanish: golpear
Chinese translation of 'swipe'
swipe
(swaɪp)
vt
(inf, = steal) 偷 (tōu)
(through machine)[card]刷(卡) (shuā (kǎ))
vi
to swipe at猛打 (měngdǎ)
n
to take a swipe at sb/sth (lit) 挥(揮)臂猛击(擊)某人/某物 (huībì měngjī mǒurén/mǒuwù) (fig, = criticize) 含沙射影地攻击(擊)某人/某物 (hán shā shè yǐng de gōngjī mǒurén/mǒuwù)
1 (verb)
Definition
to try to hit (someone or something) with a sweeping blow
(informal)
She swiped at him as though he were a fly.
Synonyms
hit out
strike
She took two steps forward and struck him across the mouth.
slap
My yoga instructor turned up and slapped me on the shoulder.
lash out at
2 (verb)
Definition
to steal (something)
(slang)
People kept trying to swipe my copy of the New York Times.
Synonyms
steal
Anybody could walk in here and steal stuff.
nick (slang, mainly British)
We used to nick biscuits from the kitchen.
pinch (informal)
pickpockets who pinched his wallet
lift (informal)
a cartoonish device lifted from a Laurel and Hardy sequence
appropriate
What do they think about your appropriating their music and culture?
trouser (slang)
cabbage (British, slang)
knock off (slang)
make off with
pilfer
Staff were pilfering cash from the bar.
purloin (formal)
He was caught purloining books from the library.
filch
I filched some notes from his wallet.
snaffle (British, informal)
1 (noun)
Definition
a hard blow
(informal)
He gave Andrew a swipe on the ear.
Synonyms
blow
He went off to hospital after a blow to the face.
slap
He reached forward and gave me a slap.
smack
I end up shouting at him or giving him a smack.
clip (informal)
a clip round the ear
thump
He felt a thump on his shoulder.
clout (informal)
I was half tempted to give them a clout myself.
cuff
He gave Billy a cuff.
clump (slang)
wallop (informal)
With a single wallop, Clarke sent him flying.
2 (noun)
a swipe at the president
Synonyms
criticism
The policy had repeatedly come under strong criticism.
knocking (informal)
verbal attack
character assassination
critical remark
Additional synonyms
in the sense of appropriate
Definition
to take for one's own use without permission
What do they think about your appropriating their music and culture?
Synonyms
steal,
take,
nick (slang, British),
pocket,
trouser (slang),
pinch (informal),
pirate,
poach,
swipe (slang),
lift (informal),
knock off (slang),
heist (US, slang),
embezzle,
blag (slang),
pilfer,
misappropriate,
snitch (slang),
purloin,
filch,
plagiarize,
thieve,
peculate (literary)
in the sense of clip
Definition
a sharp, often slanting, blow
a clip round the ear
Synonyms
smack,
strike,
box,
knock,
punch,
belt (informal),
thump,
clout (informal),
cuff,
whack,
wallop (informal),
skelp (dialect)
in the sense of clout
Definition
a fairly hard blow
I was half tempted to give them a clout myself.
Synonyms
thump,
blow,
crack (informal),
punch,
slap,
sock (slang),
cuff,
wallop (informal),
tonk (informal),
skelp (dialect)
Nearby words of
swipe
swing
swingeing
swinging
swipe
swirl
swish
switch
Synonyms of 'swipe'
swipe
Explore 'swipe' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cuff
Definition
a blow with an open hand
He gave Billy a cuff.
Synonyms
smack,
blow,
knock,
punch,
thump,
box,
belt (informal),
rap,
slap,
clout (informal),
whack,
biff (slang)
in the sense of filch
Definition
to steal in small amounts
I filched some notes from his wallet.
Synonyms
steal,
take,
thieve,
pinch (informal),
lift (informal),
nick (slang, British),
trouser (slang),
abstract,
rip off (slang),
cabbage (British, slang),
swipe (slang),
knock off (slang),
crib (informal),
half-inch (old-fashioned, slang),
embezzle,
pilfer,
walk off with,
misappropriate,
purloin (formal),
snaffle (British, informal)
in the sense of lift
Definition
to plagiarize (music or writing)
a cartoonish device lifted from a Laurel and Hardy sequence
Synonyms
steal,
take,
copy,
appropriate,
nick (slang, British),
pocket,
trouser (slang),
pinch (informal),
pirate,
cabbage (British, slang),
knock off (slang),
crib (informal),
half-inch (old-fashioned, slang),
blag (slang),
pilfer,
purloin (formal),
plagiarize,
thieve
in the sense of nick
Definition
to steal
We used to nick biscuits from the kitchen.
Synonyms
steal,
pinch (informal),
swipe (slang),
pilfer,
finger (slang),
trouser (slang),
knock off (slang),
snitch (slang)
in the sense of pilfer
Definition
to steal (minor items) in small quantities
Staff were pilfering cash from the bar.
Synonyms
steal,
take,
rob,
lift (informal),
nick (slang, British),
appropriate,
trouser (slang),
rifle,
pinch (informal),
cabbage (British, slang),
swipe (slang),
knock off (slang),
embezzle,
blag (slang),
walk off with,
snitch (slang),
purloin,
filch,
snaffle (British, informal),
thieve
in the sense of pinch
Definition
to steal
pickpockets who pinched his wallet
Synonyms
steal,
rob,
snatch,
lift (informal),
nick (slang, British),
trouser (slang),
cabbage (British, slang),
swipe (slang),
knock off (slang),
blag (slang),
pilfer,
snitch (slang),
purloin,
filch,
snaffle (British, informal)
in the sense of purloin
Definition
to steal
He was caught purloining books from the library.
Synonyms
steal,
rob,
lift (informal),
nick (slang, British),
appropriate,
trouser (slang),
pinch (informal),
cabbage (British, slang),
swipe (slang),
knock off (slang),
blag (slang),
pilfer,
walk off with,
snitch (slang),
filch,
prig (British, slang),
snaffle (British, informal),
thieve
in the sense of slap
Definition
to strike sharply with something flat, such as the open hand
My yoga instructor turned up and slapped me on the shoulder.
Synonyms
smack,
hit,
strike,
beat,
bang,
clap,
clout (informal),
cuff,
whack,
swipe (informal),
spank,
clobber (slang),
wallop (informal),
lay one on (slang)
in the sense of slap
Definition
a sharp blow or smack with something flat, such as the open hand
He reached forward and gave me a slap.
Synonyms
smack,
blow,
whack,
wallop (informal),
bang,
clout (informal),
cuff,
swipe (informal),
spank
in the sense of smack
Definition
a sharp loud slap, or the sound of such a slap
I end up shouting at him or giving him a smack.
Synonyms
slap,
blow,
whack,
clout (informal),
cuff,
crack (informal),
swipe (informal),
spank,
wallop (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of strike
Definition
to hit (someone)
She took two steps forward and struck him across the mouth.