swipe

noun countable

UK /swaɪp/

Word Forms

singular	swipe
plural	swipes

1
a movement in which you swing your arm and you hit or try to hit someone or something, using your hand or an object
take a swipe at someone/something (=try to hit them):
He leaned forwards and took a swipe at me.
Synonyms and related words
A hit with the hand or a weapon
a clip round the ear/earhole
backhander
bang
2
informala spoken or written attack on someone or something
take a swipe at someone/something (=criticize them):
Do you think he was taking a swipe at the President?
Synonyms and related words
General words for insults and insulting
a slap in the face
cut
insult
3
an act of moving your finger across the screen of a smartphone or tablet
You can access the menu with a swipe across your screen.
Synonyms and related words
To use a computer keyboard, mouse or screen
backspace
click
click

swipe

noun countable

US /swaɪp/

Word Forms

singular	swipe
plural	swipes

1
a movement in which you swing your arm and you hit or try to hit someone or something, using your hand or an object
take a swipe at someone/something (=try to hit them):
He leaned forward and took a swipe at me.
Synonyms and related words
A hit with the hand or a weapon
backhander
blow
bonk
2
informala spoken or written attack on someone or something
take a swipe at someone/something (=criticize them):
Do you think he was taking a swipe at the President?
Synonyms and related words
General words for insults and insulting
a slap in the face
cut
insult
3
an act of moving your finger across the screen of a smartphone or tablet
You can access the menu with a swipe across your screen.
Synonyms and related words
To use a computer keyboard, mouse or screen
backspace
click
click

swipe

verb

UK /swaɪp/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	swipe
he/she/it	swipes
present participle	swiping
past tense	swiped
past participle	swiped

1
transitive to pass a plastic card through a piece of electronic equipment that reads the information stored on the card, for example in order to open a door or to pay for something
Synonyms and related words
To use or program a computer
access
archive
back up
2
intransitive/transitive to move your finger across the screen of a smartphone or tablet
Simply swipe left or right to change the clock style.
You swipe products to get further information and to add them to your shopping basket.
Synonyms and related words
To use or program a computer
access
archive
back up
Synonyms and related words
To use a computer keyboard, mouse or screen
backspace
click
click
Featured as a BuzzWord!
Swipe in the sense of passing a finger across a touch screen has only been around for the last five years or so, there being no real evidence of it prior to Apple’s launch of the iPad in 2010. The word itself dates back to the early 1800s however, first used in the sense of a swinging blow, with the stealing/pilfering sense not appearing until several decades later. The card-reader sense dates back to the 1990s.
Read more
3
intransitive/transitive to swing your arm and hit or to try to hit someone or something, using your hand or an object
She swiped him hard on the side of the head.
swipe at:
I used a broom to swipe at the snake.
Synonyms and related words
To try to hit or attack someone or something
lash out
strike at
strike out
4
transitive informalto steal something
Hey, someone’s swiped my wallet!
Synonyms and related words
To steal, or steal something
steal
walk off with
rob
5
to assess a potential sexual partner using a dating app on a smartphone
You could talk to two or three girls at a bar and pick the best one, or you can swipe a couple hundred people a day.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 04/12/2015
Open Dictionary - December2015
Featured as a BuzzWord!
Swipe in the sense of passing a finger across a touch screen has only been around for the last five years or so, there being no real evidence of it prior to Apple’s launch of the iPad in 2010. The word itself dates back to the early 1800s however, first used in the sense of a swinging blow, with the stealing/pilfering sense not appearing until several decades later. The card-reader sense dates back to the 1990s.
Read more

phrases

swipe right/left

swipe

verb

US /swaɪp/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	swipe
he/she/it	swipes
present participle	swiping
past tense	swiped
past participle	swiped

1
transitive informalto steal something
Hey, someone swiped my wallet!
Synonyms and related words
To steal, or steal something
steal
walk off with
rob
2
intransitive/transitive to swing your arm and hit or to try to hit someone or something, using your hand or an object
She swiped him hard on the side of the head.
swipe at:
I used a broom to swipe at the snake.
Synonyms and related words
To try to hit or attack someone or something
hit out
strike at
aim
3
transitive to pass a plastic card through a piece of electronic equipment that reads the information stored on the card, for example in order to open a door or to pay for something
Synonyms and related words
To use or program a computer
access
archive
author
4
intransitive/transitive to move your finger across the screen of a smartphone or tablet
Simply swipe left or right to change the clock style.
You swipe products to get further information and to add them to your shopping basket.
Synonyms and related words
To use or program a computer
access
archive
author
Synonyms and related words
To use a computer keyboard, mouse or screen
backspace
click
click
Featured as a BuzzWord!
Swipe in the sense of passing a finger across a touch screen has only been around for the last five years or so, there being no real evidence of it prior to Apple’s launch of the iPad in 2010. The word itself dates back to the early 1800s however, first used in the sense of a swinging blow, with the stealing/pilfering sense not appearing until several decades later. The card-reader sense dates back to the 1990s.
Read more
5
to assess a potential sexual partner using a dating app on a smartphone
You could talk to two or three girls at a bar and pick the best one, or you can swipe a couple hundred people a day.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 04/12/2015
Open Dictionary - December2015
Featured as a BuzzWord!
Swipe in the sense of passing a finger across a touch screen has only been around for the last five years or so, there being no real evidence of it prior to Apple’s launch of the iPad in 2010. The word itself dates back to the early 1800s however, first used in the sense of a swinging blow, with the stealing/pilfering sense not appearing until several decades later. The card-reader sense dates back to the 1990s.
Read more

phrases

swipe right/left