swan

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Any of various large aquatic birds of the family Anatidae chiefly of the genera Cygnus and Olor, having webbed feet, a long slender neck, and usually white plumage.
2. n. See Cygnus.
3. v. Chiefly British To travel around from place to place: "Swanning around Europe nowadays, are we?” ( Jeffrey Archer).
4. v. Chiefly Southern U.S. To declare; swear. Used in the phrase I swan as an interjection. See Regional Note at vum.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A large lamellirostral palmiped bird, of the family Anatidæ and subfamily Cygninæ, with a long and flexible neck, naked lores, reticulate tarsi, and simple or slightly lobed hallux. ; ; . The neck is usually held in a graceful curve while the bird is swimming; the inner flight-feathers are usually enlarged, and capable of being erected or set like sails to waft the bird over the water; and in most of the species the plumage of the adults is snow-white in both sexes. The young of the white species are usually grayish or brownish; they are called cygnets. Swans walk awkwardly on land, in consequence of the backward position of the legs, but their movements on the water are exceptionally graceful and stately. Hence they are very ornamental, and some of them have been kept from time immemorial in a state of domestication. Swans are chiefly herbivorous. The flesh is edible, and the plumage furnishes the valuable swan's-down. There are 8 or 10 species, found in most parts of the world, except Africa. The ordinary white swans fall into two groups—Cygnus proper, with a knob on the beak, and Olor, without a knob; the latter are also distinguished by the resonant quality of the voice, due to the convolutions of the windpipe in the cavity of the breast-bone. In Europe four kinds of swans are found: the common “tame” or mute swan, usually seen in domestication, C. gibbus (by the rules of nomenclature also called C. olor), with a knob on the beak, wedge-shaped tail, and no tracheal convolutions
2. n. In heraldry, a bearing representing a swan, usually with the wings raised as it carries them when swimming. It is therefore not necessary to say in the blazon “with wings indorsed.” See below.
3. n. In astronomy See Cygnus, 2.
4. n. See def. 1.
5. To swear: used in the phrase I swan, an expression of emphasis. Also swon.

Wiktionary

1. n. Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus, most of which have white plumage.
2. n. figuratively One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
3. v. UK (intransitive) To travel from place to place with no fixed itinerary or purpose.
4. v. US, slang To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of large aquatic birds belonging to Cygnus, Olor, and allied genera of the subfamily Cygninæ. They have a large and strong beak and a long neck, and are noted for their graceful movements when swimming. Most of the northern species are white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing a melodious song, especially at the time of its death.
2. n. Fig.: An appellation for a sweet singer, or a poet noted for grace and melody.
3. n. (Astron.) The constellation Cygnus.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. sweep majestically
2. n. stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and usually white plumage as adult
3. v. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
4. v. to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true