swy

English

Etymology

From German zwei. Doublet of tway.

Noun

swy (plural swies)

1. (Australia, obsolete) A two-shilling coin.
2. (Australia, games) Two-up. [From 1913.]
   • 1951, Dymphna Cusack, Florence James, 1957, Come In Spinner, page 306,

     “ […] Coupla bastards come the raw prawn over me on the last lap up from Melbourne and I done me last bob at Swy.”

   • 1953, Tom Inglis Moore, editor, Australia Writes, page 3:

     “Then I come,” Kernow said, “and maybe I show you Old Australians how to play this — swy.”

   • 1990, Frank J. Hardy, Retreat Australia fair and other Great Australian Legends, page 121:

     ‘ […] You′d swear a butterflied penny was spinning, especially in the night, playing under lights, but a good ringkeeper or any experienced swy player can pick a butterflied penny from the genuine spinning article.’

3. (Australia, slang) A two-year prison sentence.