swum
Verb (past participle of swim): - Past participle form: "swum" is the past participle of the verb "to swim," meaning to move through water by propelling oneself with limbs (e.g., arms and legs). It is used in perfect tenses and passive constructions.
- (Present perfect tense: she completed the action repeatedly.)
- (Passive voice: the action of swimming was performed on the river.)
- (Past perfect tense: the action was completed before another past event.)
"swum in": used figuratively to mean immersed or surrounded by something.
- The room was swum in a sea of papers. (Figurative: the room was overwhelmed with papers.)
"swum against the current": to go against prevailing opinion or difficulty.
- He has always swum against the current in his career. (He has chosen unconventional paths.)
- Swim (verb, base form): to move through water.
- I swim every day for exercise.
- Swam (verb, simple past): the past tense of swim.
- She swam to the dock yesterday.
- Swimmer (noun): a person who swims.
- The swimmer broke the world record.
- Swimming (noun/gerund): the activity of moving through water.
- Swimming is great for your health.
- Paddled: moved through water with limbs (less formal).
- Floated: stayed on the water's surface without active propulsion.
- Waded: walked through shallow water (not the same as swimming).
"Swum in the deep end": to take on a difficult or challenging situation.
- He has swum in the deep end of the project from the start. (He tackled the hardest part.)
"Swum like a fish": to swim very well.
- She has swum like a fish since she was a child. (She is an excellent swimmer.)
"Swum" is exclusively used with auxiliary verbs (e.g., have, had, has, is, was) to form perfect tenses or passive voice. It is never used alone as a main verb. Compare: - I swam yesterday. (Simple past, correct.) - I have swum yesterday. (Incorrect; use simple past with specific time.) - I have swum many times. (Correct; no specific time.)