swarm
Contents
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm (“swarm, multitude”), from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz (“swarm, dizziness”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to buzz, hum”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Swoorm (“swarm”), Dutch zwerm, German Schwarm, Danish sværm, Swedish svärm, Icelandic svarmur (“tumult, swarm”), Latin susurrus (“whispering, humming”), Lithuanian surma (“a pipe”), Russian свире́ль (svirélʹ, “a pipe, reed”).
The verb is from Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swierman (“to swarm”), from Proto-Germanic *swarmijaną (“to swarm”), from the noun. Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm (“to swarm”), Dutch zwermen, German schwärmen, Danish sværme, Swedish svärma.
PronunciationEdit
- (General American) IPA(key): /swɔɹm/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /swɔːm/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)m
NounEdit
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swarm of locusts.
swarm (plural swarms)
- A large number of insects, especially when in motion or (for bees) migrating to a new colony.
- (Can we date this quote?) Template:W
- a deadly swarm of hornets
- (Can we date this quote?) Template:W
- A mass of people, animals or things in motion or turmoil.
- a swarm of meteorites
- (computing) A group of nodes sharing the same torrent in a BitTorrent network.
TranslationsEdit
large number of insects
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a mass of people or animals in turmoil
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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VerbEdit
swarm (third-person singular simple present swarms, present participle swarming, simple past and past participle swarmed)
- (intransitive) To move as a swarm.
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1915, George A. Birmingham, “chapter I”, in Gossamer (Project Gutenberg; EBook #24394), London: Methuen & Co., published 8 January 2013 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 558189256:
- There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. Mail bags, so I understand, are being put on board. Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors.
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- (intransitive) To teem, or be overrun with insects, people, etc.
- (Can we date this quote?) Edmund Spenser
- Every place swarms with soldiers.
- (Can we date this quote?) Edmund Spenser
- (transitive) To fill a place as a swarm.
- (transitive) To overwhelm as by an opposing army.
- To climb by gripping with arms and legs alternately.
- (Can we date this quote?) William Coxe
- At the top was placed a piece of money, as a prize for those who could swarm up and seize it.
- 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 55
- She called out, and a boy came running along. He swarmed up a tree, and presently threw down a ripe nut. Ata pierced a hole in it, and the doctor took a long, refreshing draught.
- (Can we date this quote?) William Coxe
- To breed multitudes.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Milton
- Not so thick swarmed once the soil / Bedropped with blood of Gorgon.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Milton
TranslationsEdit
to move as a swarm
to teem, or be overrun with insects
to fill a place as a swarm
to overwhelm
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to climb by gripping with arms and legs
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked