swanny
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
Adjective edit
swanny (comparative swannier, superlative swanniest)
- Resembling or characteristic of a swan.
- 1748, [Samuel Richardson], Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC:
- a swanny glossiness of the neck
References edit
- “swanny”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Etymology 2 edit
From “(I) shall warrant ye”; later re-interpreted as a minced oath of swear. Compare swan.
Verb edit
swanny
- Alternative form of swan (“declare, swear”)
- 1843, Ann Sophia Stephens, High Life in New York, page 7:
- I swanny if I ever felt so in my life ! I was so anxious about that long letter that I sent to them to get printed for you, that I was dreadful loth to go in, and eenamost made up my mind to turn about and make tracks for the sloop agin !
- 1913, Alice B. Emerson, Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp, Start Classics, →ISBN:
- I swanny! but that was a warm time for me, Miss—it sure was. There was that ol' she b'ar with her mouth as wide open as a church door or, so it looked to Jerry Todd.
- 2004, Ann Roscopf Allen, A Serpent Cherished, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 172:
- Here I was, with Miss Marie looking at me, expecting me to say what she wanted me to say, and I knew the Good Lord was looking down on me, too, expecting me to tell the truth. I swanny, I didn't know what to do.