Definition

1. Noun:

   • A soft, brushing, rustling, or hissing sound, often produced by something moving quickly through the air or a liquid.
   • (Basketball) A successful shot that goes through the net without touching the rim, producing a clean, sharp sound.

2. Verb:

   • To move with or cause to move with a soft, rustling, or hissing sound.
   • To make a soft, brushing sound.

3. Adjective:

   • (Informal) Fashionably elegant, smart, or luxurious; posh.

Examples

• Noun:

  • The only sound was the gentle swish of the curtains in the breeze.
  • He scored with a perfect swish from the three-point line.

• Verb:

  • The horse's tail swished to brush away the flies.
  • She swished the water around in her glass.

• Adjective:

  • They live in a very swish apartment in the city center.
  • It was a swish party with lots of famous guests.

Advanced Usage

• "to swish something away/off": To remove something with a quick, brushing motion.

  • He swished the crumbs off the table with his hand.

• "to swish past": To move past someone or something quickly and smoothly, often with a sound.

  • The cyclist swished past us on the wet road.

Variants and Related Words

• Swishy (adj): Making a swishing sound or having a loose, flowing movement.
  • She wore a long, swishy skirt.

Synonyms

• Noun (sound): Rustle, whoosh, swoosh, hiss.
• Verb: Rustle, swoosh, whisk, flap.
• Adjective: Posh, classy, stylish, chic, elegant.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Swish around: To move a liquid around inside a container, creating a sound.
  • He swished the mouthwash around for a minute.

Related Idioms

• "Swish and flick": A phrase popularized by the series, describing the wrist movement for casting the spell . It emphasizes a light, precise motion.
  • Remember, the incantation is 'Wingardium Leviosa', and the wand movement is a swish and flick.

Adjective

1. elegant and fashionable
   • classy clothes
   • a classy dame
   • a posh restaurant
   • a swish pastry shop on the Rue du Bac- Julia Child

Noun

1. a brushing or rustling sound

Verb

1. move with or cause to move with a whistling or hissing sound
   • The bubbles swoshed around in the glass
   • The curtain swooshed open