swipe

swipe
swipe (n.) 1807, "a driving stroke made with the arms in full swing," perhaps a dialectal variant of sweep, or in part from obsolete swip "a stroke, blow" (c.1200), from P.Gmc. *swip-, related to O.E. swipu "a stick, whip." Other possible sources or influences are M.E. swope "to sweep with broad movements" (in ref. to brooms, swords, etc.), from O.E. swapan; obsolete swaip "stroke, blow;" or obsolete swape "oar, pole." The verb is from 1825. The slang sense of "steal, pilfer" appeared 1889, Amer.Eng., said originally to be theatrical jargon for performers stealing jokes or stage routines from one another. Meaning "run a credit card" is 1990s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Swipe — may refer to a number of things:* Swipe (breakdance move) * Swipe (comics) * Swipe, a dice game by Fundex Games * Swipe is a colloquial word for shoplifting or theft, eg. He swiped a chocolate bar from the newsagent. * Swipe files are templates… …   Wikipedia

  • swipe — [swaɪp] verb swipe a card to pass a special plastic card such as a credit card through a machine that can read the information it contains: • The system allows stores to check a customer s credit account by swiping the card through an electronic… …   Financial and business terms

  • Swipe — Swipe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Swiped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Swiping}.] 1. To give a swipe to; to strike forcibly with a sweeping motion, as a ball. [1913 Webster] Loose balls may be swiped almost ad libitum. R. A. Proctor. [1913 Webster] 2. To pluck;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Swipe — Swipe, n. [Cf. {Sweep}, {Swiple}.] 1. A swape or sweep. See {Sweep}. [1913 Webster] 2. A strong blow given with a sweeping motion, as with a bat or club. [1913 Webster] Swipes [in cricket] over the blower s head, and over either of the long… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swipe — [n/v1] hit bash, blow, clip, clout, clump, cuff, knock, lash out, lick, rap, slap, smack, sock, strike, swat, wallop, wipe; concept 189 swipe [v2] steal appropriate, cop, filch, heist, hook, lift, make off with, nab, nick, pilfer, pinch, purloin …   New thesaurus

  • swipe — informal ► VERB 1) hit or try to hit with a swinging blow. 2) steal. 3) pass (a swipe card) through an electronic reader. ► NOUN 1) a sweeping blow. 2) an attack or criticism. ORIGIN perhaps a variant …   English terms dictionary

  • swipe — [swīp] n. [prob. var. of SWEEP] 1. a lever or handle 2. Informal a) a hard, sweeping blow b) a sweeping motion [give the table a swipe with a rag] 3. Informal a groom for horses, esp. at a racetrack …   English World dictionary

  • swipe — vb *steal, pilfer, filch, purloin, lift, pinch, snitch, cop …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • swipe — [[t]swa͟ɪp[/t]] swipes, swiping, swiped 1) VERB If you swipe at a person or thing, you try to hit them with a stick or other object, making a swinging movement with your arm. [V at n] She swiped at Rusty as though he was a fly... [V n] He swiped… …   English dictionary

  • swipe — I UK [swaɪp] / US verb Word forms swipe : present tense I/you/we/they swipe he/she/it swipes present participle swiping past tense swiped past participle swiped 1) [transitive] informal to steal something Hey, someone s swiped my wallet! 2)… …   English dictionary

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