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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Swim: Meaning, Examples, and Common Collocations (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：move through water (swim)

swim 🔊

/swɪm/

v, n

To move your body through water using your arms and legs.

Person swimming freestyle in pool with arm strokes and splashes

move through water 🔊

➕

/muːv θruː ˈwɔːtər/

v, n

To propel oneself through water by moving limbs.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Old English 'swimman' (Proto-Germanic *swimmaną): to move through water.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a swan's gentle motion: S-W-I-M reminds you to Start With Immersive Motion.

📖 Example

The children love to swim in the sea when the weather is warm. 🔊 The children love to swim in the sea when the weather is warm.

🔗 Collocations

go for a swim – to engage in swimming

swim across – to cross a body of water by swimming

swim like a fish – to swim very well

🔄 Synonyms

paddle (v) – to move through water using short strokes of the limbs, especially with the hands or feet

float (v) – to stay on the surface of water without sinking

wade (v) – to walk through water, especially shallow water

🚫 Antonyms

sink (v) – to go down below the surface of water

drown (v) – to die by submersion in water

🌱 Derivatives

swimmer (n) – a person who swims

swimming (n, adj) – the activity of swimming, or relating to swimming

swimmable (adj) – suitable for swimming

📖 Cultural Story

Swim comes from Proto-Germanic *swimmaną, related to Old Norse 'sund' (strait, swimming). In modern culture, swimming is a popular Olympic sport and a key survival skill.

Meaning 2：the activity of swimming (swim)

swim 🔊

/swɪm/

v, n

The activity or sport of moving through water.

Empty indoor swimming pool with lane lines and calm blue water

the activity of swimming 🔊

➕

/ðiː ækˈtɪvɪti əv ˈswɪmɪŋ/

v, n

The action or sport of swimming, often for recreation or competition.

📁 Category：Entertainment & Sports 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

My doctor recommended I take up swim as a gentle way to exercise my whole body. 🔊 My doctor recommended I take up swim as a gentle way to exercise my whole body.

🔗 Collocations

take up swimming – to start swimming as a hobby

competitive swimming – swimming as a sport with races

swimming lesson – instruction on how to swim

🔄 Synonyms

aquatics (n) – water-based sports, including swimming

natation (n) – the action or skill of swimming (formal)

bathing (n) – the act of swimming or lying in water for pleasure

🌱 Derivatives

swimmer (n) – a person who swims

swimmingly (adv) – without difficulty; smoothly