swam

Verb

swim (third-person singular simple present swims, present participle swimming, simple past swam or (archaic) swum, past participle swum)

1. (intransitive) To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
   • We were now all upon a Level, as to our travelling; being unshipp’d, for our Bark would swim no farther, and she was too heavy to carry on our Backs […]1720, Daniel Defoe, Captain Singleton, London: J. Brotherton, page 87
2. (intransitive) To become immersed in, or as if in, or flooded with, or as if with, a liquid.
   • swimming in self-pity
3. (intransitive) To move around freely because of excess space.
   • A fam'd Sur-tout he wears, which once was blue,
     And his foot swims in a capacious shoe.1777, The Poetical Preceptor; Or, a Collection of Select Pieces of Poetry, Etc
4. (transitive) To traverse (a specific body of water, or a specific distance) by swimming; or, to use a specific swimming stroke; or, to compete in a specific swimming event.
   • For exercise, we like to swim laps around the pool.
5. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to swim.
   • to swim a horse across a river
6. (archaic, intransitive) To float.
   • sink or swim

See all 20 meanings of swim