swamp-mahogany 
II//I/HX liii/ri/i>iili* a nd A', rnliiixtn : also, Trixlmiin 
xiiiifi-nli-iix. and perhaps species of .liii/ii/ilini-ii. 
Swamp-maple (swomp' ma 'pi), //. The red 
maple (see iiiii/>li-l ); also, .\V //////<//) t'n/i I'liriiii-iini. 
of I he Coast liatige in California. 
swamp-milkweed (swomp'milk wed), n. See 
m ilk, rnd. I. 
swamp-moss (swomp'mos), //. Acommonnamo 
for moss of the genus H/ilmi/mnii. 
swamp-muck (womp'mnk), . See muck 1 . 
swamp-oak (swomp'ok), //. 1. In America 
(it) the swamp white oak (|M irliili- '//.'. under 
''/.); (//) the swamp post-oak (see poxl-onk); 
(c) the swamp Spanish oak (see pin-oak). 2. 
In Australia (it) a broom-like leguminoii- 
shruli or small tree. / 'ininiiirin il< inolata (also 
called Kif<iiit/i-l>i'iii>iii); (//) a tree of the genus 
CiixiKiriini, as r. xiilM-rnxii, C. ci/uixctifoliii, or (.'. 
inihnlin.il. (See xlii'-oak.) These trees are of a 
I Isiime lull funereal aspect. 
The train hud stopped before a roadside station stand- 
ing In a clearing against a background of shivering /tiraniji- 
mtk trees. Mr. CainpbeU-Praed, The Head .Station. 
swamp-ore (swomp'or), n. Same as bog-iron 
ore (which see, under ''.'/ 1 ). 
swamp-owl (swomp'oul), H. The short-eared 
owl, or marsh-owl, liriirlii/ntiix /mlnxlrix ; also, 
sometimes, the barred owl, Strijc nebulosa. [Lo- 
cal, U. 8.] 
swamp-partridge (Hwomp'par''trij), n. The 
spruce-part ridge, or Canada grouse. [Local, 
U. S. ] 
swamp-pine (gwoap'ptn), . Same as slash- 
swamp-pink (swomp'pingk), . Same as 
xwdiii/i-ltonci/xHcklc ; also extended to other 
azaleas. 
swamp-quail (swomp'kwal), H. See Syncecug, 1. 
swamp-robin (8womp'rob''iu), w. The towhee 
hunting, ch(!wink, or marsh-robin. [Local, 
swamp-rose (swonip'roz), . See roue 1 . 
swamp-sassafras (swomp'sas'a-fras), n. See 
swamp-saxifrage (swomp'sak'si-fraj), n. See 
swamp-sparrow (swomp'spar'6), n. A fringil- 
line bird, ifclox/ii^it i><//n.itrix, abundant in east- 
ern North America, related to and much resem- 
bling the song-sparrow, inhabiting the shrub- 
bery of swamps, marshes, and brakes (whence 
the name). It la ftj Inches long, and 7} in extent, with 
'the plumage streaked above with black, gray, and bright 
Swamp-spa 
xa falustris). 
bay, below mostly ashy and little streaked, the throat 
whitish, the crown blight-chestnut, and the forehead 
black. This sparrow Is a sweet songster ; it nest* in low 
bushes, and lays four or flve speckled and clouded eggs. 
It is a migratory bird, breeding in New England and Can- 
ada, ami wintering in the Smithern States. More fully 
called by roues swamp 9on'j**parrow. 
swamp-sumac (swomp'su'inak), n. Same as 
poixoH-sumfic. 
swamp-thistle (swomp'this'l), n. See thistle. 
swamp-warbler (swomp'war'bler), n. One of 
several small sylvicoline birds of the United 
States, inhabiting shrubbery and tangle in 
swampy places, as the prothonotary warbler, 
Protonotaria citrcti, the worm-eating warbler, 
Helmintlirrux rrrimrnrim, ami some related spe- 
cies, formerly all referred to Audubon's genus 
Ili'linaia (or Ilclitnir/i). the type of which is 
Swainson's warbler, H. strainsoni. See cuts un- 
der protltountnry and H<'lii>itli<>/>lini/<i. 
swampweed (swomp'wed), . A prostrate or 
creeping perennial herli, Mlirm ruilicitnx, of 
the (lonilfiiiuccie, found in Australia: more 
fully called >';'<// i,m xii-mii/iin-i'il. 
swamp- willow iswomp'wil'6), H. Same as 
}iu$8t/-trillinr. 
swampwood (s-.vomp'wud), . The leather- 
wood. Itiri'ii i 
0098 
swampy i -wom'pi),//. [<.////> +-//'.] Per- 
taining to a swamp: consist ing of ^wanip: like 
a swamp; low, wet. and spongy: a *,.-//// ////>// land. 
Susquehanna's twampii ground. >'<//, Mannion, fit. 0. 
SWan 1 (swoii). //. (< MK. .111-1111. xirini. < AS. xirnn 
= Ml I. xii-in ii. I >. _n nun = ML< '. xiri i ii. xinnir = 
Ollli. xii-ini, ni.. xii-iiiiii. I'., MIKi. xiniii, xiranr, 
0. Hrlurtin = Icel. xraiir = Sw. xmn = Dan. 
xrnnr = Goth, "gwatui (not recorded), a swan ; 
perhaps allied to Skt. ^ gran, L. mniarc, sound : 
see xiiiniil". Cf. AS. liiinii = (i. linlin, etc., a 
cock, as related to I., finui-i, sing: see Aew'.] 
1. A large lamcllirostral palmiped bird, of the 
family .lii<ttiil;i' and subfamily l'i/i/nin;i. with a 
long and flexible neck, naked lores, reticulate 
tarsi, and simple or slightly lobed hallux. The 
neck is usually held in a graceful carve while the bird 
is swimming; the inner flight-feathers are usually en- 
larged, and capable of being erected or set like sails to 
waft the bird over the water ; and in immt of the specie* 
the plumage of the adults is snow-white In both sexes. 
The young of the white specie* are usually grayish ur 
brownish; they are cal led cygnet*. 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 valua- 
ble 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 Cygnut proper, with a knob 
on the beak, and Olor, without a knob ; the latter arc a'so 
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 : 
(1) the common " tame ' or mute swan, usually seen In do- 
mestication, C. ffHtlnu (by the rules of nomenclature also 
hitc Sw.ui ILjrfHHj olitr). 
called C. olirr), with a knob on the beak, wedge-shaped tall, 
and no tracheal convolutions ; (2) the elk, hooper, whooper, 
or whistling-swan, Olor eyama or Cyymw (p.) mutieut or 
ffrus, sometimes specified as the " wild " swan ; (3) Bew- 
ick's swan, C. (O.) btinclri; (4) the Polish swan, C. (0.) 
immutabilis. Two kinds of swans are common in North 
America, both belonging, like the three named last, to 
Olur: these are the whistling-swan, C. (0.) americamu or 
eolumbiamu, and the trumpeter, C. (0.) buccinator; the 
former has a small yellow spot on each side of the beak, 
and is smaller than the latter, of which the beak is en- 
tirely black. The black-necked swan of South America 
swanky 
on the wing (some feathers of which arc rinly), eJ 
and white Dill :unl n <l eyes ; it i.s c;i-lly arrlitnMi/- .i ;tinl 
in often seen iii <!<mi* >tic:it Jin i. \ L-i'j.'iiit jr fi.^i! su :n i, or 
swan-like goose, fruin the ]><inr <a\ s f Malta, in knnnn 
as I'alteocyffniu //<./,.// rip i.]>i!l:.r n.-ii,.n that the 
nwan sings jiit lt.,n: .lyinn Im* no foundation In fuel. 
The jelous fifan agens hire dcih tiuit Hynueth. 
Chauerr, Parliament of K..N, I. :iii 
2. In her., a, bearing represent in-; a suan, usu- 
ally with the wings i-ai.-ed as it '.mi,- them 
when swimming. It is therefore mil necessary 
to say in the blaxon ''with wings indorsed.' 
See below. 3. In iixlrnii. S. e 1'iii/iiiix, '2. 
Bl&ck swan, (a) Something very rare, or supposed to be 
non-existent; a ran avis: used like 'white cnm. ' ami 
omeotherapparcntcontradictions in terms. [The phrase 
arose at a time when only white swans were known, j 
The abuse of such places [theaters) was so great th..i 
for any chaste liuer to haunt them was a black mean, and 
a white crowe. OoMon, Schoole of Abuse. 
(6) See def. 1. Chained swan. In her., a swan represent- 
ed with some kind of collar about Its neck, to which a 
chain Is secured, which may be either carried to a ring or 
staple, or passed in a curve over the bird's neck, between 
its wings, or the like. The swan ducally gorged and 
chained Is the well known badge f the Bobuns, adopted 
liy the Lancastrian kings.- Demi-swan, in her., a swan 
with only so much of the body showing a* rises above the 
water when it is swimming, the wings either indorsed or 
expanded.- Order of the Swan, a I iu--i:ni"i<l< T found- 
edny the elector I'rtil- i irk II. , \l;uuniv of iJrantlenlmrjr, 
in 1440, renewed by Frederick William IV., King of Prus- 
sia, In IM:) Swan close, In tier., a Ixrariiig representing 
a swan with the wings close to Its clilt. Wild swan, 
any feral swan ; specifically, Ct/ynu/ma(C. muiieut) : to 
called In distinction from the "tame "or mute swan. See 
def. 1. 
A melody loud and sweet, 
That made the uUd-mran pause in her cloud. 
Trnni/m, The Poet's Bong. 
swan 2 (swon), r. i. [A euphemistic variation 
of aircnrl ; cf. meow, a similar evasion.] To 
swear: used in the phrase I mean, aii expression 
of emphasis. Also SWOH. [Rural, New Kng.] 
lines, cf you're blue, are the best friends I know, 
They mope an* sigh an* sheer your feelin's so; 
They hesh the ground beneath so, to, I nran, 
You half forglt you've gut a body on. 
Lowell, Biglow I*apers, 2d ser., vi. 
I swan to man, a more emphatic form of / *//. miti- 
gated form of / nrear to God. 
But they du preach, / mean to man, it 's puf'kly Inde 
scrible ! Loirell, Biglow Papers, 2d ser., i. 
swan-animalcule (swon'an-i-mal'kul), w. An 
infusoriaii of the family Trachclocrrcirtse, or of 
the family Trachtliidie, having a sort of neck, 
as Tracheloccrca olitr of the former group, and 
Amphileptus cygnux of the latter. See the fam- 
ily names. 
swan-down (swon'doun), n. Same as stran's- 
dotcn, 1. 
swan-flower (swon'flou'er), n. An orchid of 
the genus Cyenochcs, particularly C. IsOddigcsit : 
so called in allusion to the long arched column. 
The species named has flowers four inches across. Also 
nnmuwrt and (translating the genus name) mcannrck. 
swang 1 (swang), n. [Also wank: see swamp 1 .} 
A piece of low land or greensward liable to 
be covered with water; also, a swamp or bog. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
swang 2 t. Obsolete preterit of mcing. 
swan-goose (swon'gSs), . The China goose, 
CygiwpxiK ryiirurides, a large, long-necked goose 
of somewhat swan-like aspect, often seen in 
domestication. See cut under Cytjnopaix. 
swanherd (swon 'herd), n. [< stra'nl + A<rrf2.] 
One who tends swang. 
No person having swans could appoint a nmnherd with- 
out the king's ncanherd'i license. Ynrrrll, British Birds. 
swan-hopping (swou'hop'ing), . A corrup- 
tion 
Black-necked Swan (.Sttttnelidri m 
is C. (Sthmelidct) nigricollit or mtlanocaryplnw, with a 
frontal knob, and the body, wings, and tail pure-white. 
The black swan of Australia is Chenoptit (usually mis- 
called Chennpit) atratux, almost entirely black, with white 
Black Swam (CAw/ju arrar*i>. 
Then whitebait down and fwan-hnppinrf up the river. 
T. Hook, Gilbert Ourney. (Latham.) 
swanimotet, . See strain moot, under moot 1 . 
swank 1 (swangk). a. [Not found in ME.; in 
AS. only in the form swanpor, siconcor = MHO. 
xirnnkel, pliant, bending; in the simpler form, 
Mill!, xirniii: xirank, G. aehvank, pliant, = Icel. 
srangr, thin, slender, slim; cf. MIX giranck, 
swinging, vibration, sirancken, bend, swing, 
vibrate ; from the root of AS. gicinyan, gicinean, 
etc., swing: see sicina, xirink. Cf. xvampl.] 1. 
Thin; slender; pliant. 2. Agile. 
Thou ance was i' the foremost rank, 
A fllly hulrdly, sleeve, an' sirank. 
Burnt, Auld Farmer to his Anld Mare. 
[Scotch in both senses.] 
swank 2 (swangk), n. Seetran/l. 
swanking (swang'king), a. [< sinnikl + -iH<;'A] 
Supple: active. .Scoff, Bride of Lainmennoor, 
xxiv. [Scotch.] 
swanky 1 (swang'ki), .: pi. xirankiix (-kiz). 
[Dim. of guvinA-i.] An active or clever young 
fellow. Skinner. [Sootch.] 
