Definition

1. Noun:

   • A sweeping stroke or blow: A quick, sweeping, and often forceful movement made with the hand or an object.
   • An act of passing a card, finger, etc., through a reader: The act of moving a card, finger, or stylus across a sensor to read data or give a command.

2. Verb:

   • To steal or take something quickly and often sneakily: To take something, especially something small, in a quick and sometimes dishonest manner.
   • To strike with a sweeping motion: To hit or attempt to hit something with a broad, sweeping movement of the hand or an object.
   • To pass a card, finger, etc., across a reader: To move a card, finger, or stylus across an electronic sensor to activate or read it.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He took a swipe at the fly with a newspaper.
  • The cashier asked for a card swipe to complete the payment.

• Verb:

  • Someone swiped my pen from my desk.
  • The cat swiped at the dog with its claws.
  • You need to swipe your credit card through the machine.

Advanced Usage

• "To take a swipe at someone/something": To make a critical remark or attack, either physically or verbally.
  • The politician took a swipe at his opponent during the debate.
• "Swipe right/left": In the context of dating apps, to indicate interest (right) or disinterest (left) in a profile by dragging a finger across the screen.
  • If you like their profile, you should swipe right.

Variants and Related Words

• Swiped (verb, past tense): The past tense and past participle of "swipe".
  • He swiped the last cookie.
• Swiping (verb, present participle/gerund): The continuous form of "swipe".
  • She was swiping through photos on her phone.

Synonyms

• Noun (stroke): Slash, swing, blow.
• Verb (steal): Pilfer, pinch, snatch.
• Verb (strike): Slash, lash out, swing at.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Swipe at: To make a sweeping attempt to hit something.
  • The boxer swiped at his opponent but missed.
• Swipe through: To move quickly through digital content (e.g., photos, pages) by making a swiping motion on a touchscreen.
  • He spent an hour swiping through social media.

Related Idioms

• A swipe in the dark: An attempt or action made without clear knowledge or hope of success.
  • Guessing the password was just a swipe in the dark.

Noun

1. a sweeping stroke or blow

Verb

1. make off with belongings of others
2. strike with a swiping motion