Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act of making exaggerated or unsubstantiated allegations to damage the credibility of a political candidate or other public figure.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of swiftboat.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[After the Swift Boat, Veterans for Truth, a group of Swift Boat crew members who opposed the 2004 presidential candidacy of American politician John Kerry (born 1943) and alleged that Kerry's decorations for service in the Vietnam War were undeserved.]

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