swivel

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A link, pivot, or other fastening so designed that it permits the free turning of attached parts.
2. n. A pivoted support that allows an attached object, such as a chair or gun, to turn in a horizontal plane.
3. n. A gun that turns on a pivot.
4. v. To turn or rotate on or as if on a swivel.
5. v. To secure, fit, or support with a swivel.
6. v. To turn on or as if on a swivel.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A fastening so contrived as to allow the thing fastened to turn freely round on its axis; a piece fixed to a similar piece, or to any body, by a pin or otherwise, so as to revolve or turn freely in any direction; a twisting link in a chain, consisting of a ring or hook ending in a headed pin which turns in a link of the chain so as to prevent kinking. See also cut under rowlock.
2. n. A gun mounted on a swivel or pivot: commonly, but not always, limited to very small and light guns so mounted.
3. n. A rest on the gunwale of a boat for supporting a piece of ordnance or other article that requires swinging in a horizontal plane.
4. n. A small gun on the deck of a fishing-schooner, used in foggy weather to signal to the dories the position of the vessel.
5. n. A diminutive shuttle used in the figure-weaving of silk, etc., and moved to and fro by slides or by hand. They carry threads of various tints, used to obtain special effects, as in the shading of figures or flowers, etc.
6. n. A small shuttle for use in a swivel-loom for weaving ribbons.
7. To turn on or as on a staple, pin, or pivot.
8. To turn (anything) on or as on a swivel of any kind.

Wiktionary

1. n. mechanical : A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another piece by a pin, in such a manner as to permit rotation about the pin as an axis.
2. n. military A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or swivel; called also swivel gun.
3. n. slang strength of mind or character that enables one to overcome adversity; confidence; will.
4. v. intransitive To swing or turn, as on a pin or pivot.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Mech.) A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another piece by a pin, in such a manner as to permit rotation about the pin as an axis.
2. n. (Mil.) A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or swivel; -- called also swivel gun.
3. v. To swing or turn, as on a pin or pivot.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. turn on a pivot
2. n. a coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a headed pin