swift
gb/swˈɪft/ us/swˈɪft/
B2
English
~ 9100
gyors, sebes, haladéktalan, sarlósfecske
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is swift
The swift river carried the fallen tree downstream in minutes.
A sebes folyó percek alatt elsodorta a kidőlt fát lefelé.
Cheetahs are incredibly swift hunters on the open plains.
A gepárdok hihetetlenül gyors vadászok a nyílt síkságon.
With a swift kick, she sent the ball flying into the net.
The train was so swift that the two-hour journey felt very short.
A swift wind pushed the small sailboat across the lake.
Learner examples
The horse is very swift.
A ló nagyon gyors.
A swift runner won the race.
Egy gyors futó nyerte a versenyt.
The boat moved swift across the water in the strong wind.
A swift river can be dangerous.
The bird made a swift turn in the sky.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'run swift' in everyday English. In modern standard English, people usually say 'run fast' or 'run swiftly', not 'run swift', except in poetic style. Also, 'swift' is mainly an adjective; use 'swiftly' as the adverb, as in 'She moved swiftly across the room.'
Meaning
moving or able to move fast
Collocations
swift runner
|swift river
|swift current
|swift pace
|swift horse
|swift movement
Synonyms
fast (Most general word for high speed; 'swift' can sound a bit more formal or descriptive.)
|
speedy ('Speedy' is slightly more informal and often used for people or services that are quick.)
|
rapid ('Rapid' is often used in more formal or technical contexts, especially for movement or change.)
Antonyms
slow ('Slow' describes movement with low speed, the opposite of 'swift'.)
Themes
movement
|sports
|nature
|core_vocabulary
|travel
|transportation
Definition
Moving very fast, or able to move very fast.
Moving or able to move at a high speed.
B2
2
gyors
A2
haladéktalan
C1
Usage pattern:
a swift [decision/action/response]
The company promised swift action to fix the problem.
A cég gyors intézkedést ígért a probléma megoldására.
Her swift response to the email impressed the client.
Az e-mailre adott gyors válasza lenyűgözte az ügyfelet.
The government faced criticism for its swift decision to close the borders.
After surgery, he made a swift recovery and returned to work within a week.
Swift punishment followed the players’ violation of the rules.
Learner examples
We must take swift action to save the project.
Gyorsan kell intézkednünk, hogy megmentsük a projektet.
Thank you for your swift reply.
Köszönöm a gyors válaszodat.
The manager made a swift decision.
He had a swift recovery after the accident.
The school took swift steps to solve the issue.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only 'fast' before these nouns (e.g. 'fast action', 'fast response'). While not always wrong, 'swift action/response' is more standard and common in written and formal English. Also, do not use 'swift' as an adverb (*'They answered swift'); use 'swiftly' or 'quickly' instead.
Meaning
happening or done very quickly
Collocations
swift action
|swift response
|swift decision
|swift recovery
|swift change
|swift punishment
Synonyms
quick (Very common and general; 'swift' can sound slightly more formal or written.)
|
prompt (Often used for actions taken without delay, especially in service or business contexts.)
|
immediate (Stronger; suggests happening at once, with almost no time in between.)
Antonyms
slow (Describes actions that take a long time to happen or finish.)
|
delayed (Focuses on the fact that something happened later than it should have.)
Themes
time
|business
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Happening or done very quickly, with little or no waiting time.
Happening, made, or carried out quickly, often so that there is little delay.
NOUN
C1
3
sarlósfecske
C1
Usage pattern:
a swift / a flock of swifts
We watched a flock of swifts circle above the church tower at dusk.
Alkonyatkor egy sarlósfecske-rajot néztünk, ahogy körözött a templomtorony fölött.
Swifts spend most of their lives in the air and rarely land on the ground.
A sarlósfecskék életük nagy részét a levegőben töltik, és ritkán szállnak le a földre.
Each summer, swifts return to nest in the same old buildings.
The common swift is known for its long migrations between Europe and Africa.
Swifts and swallows can be hard to tell apart for beginner birdwatchers.
Learner examples
A swift is a small bird that flies very fast.
A sarlósfecske egy kisméretű madár, amely nagyon gyorsan repül.
Many swifts flew over the town in the evening.
Sok sarlósfecske repült a város fölött este.
Swifts catch insects while they are flying.
The swifts come back to this city every summer.
We saw swifts near the old church.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the noun 'swift' (a type of bird) with the adjective 'swift' (fast). In writing, the bird is usually written with a lowercase 's' unless it starts a sentence or is part of a full species name, such as 'Common Swift'.
Meaning
small fast-flying insect-eating bird
Collocations
common swift
|flock of swifts
|swifts nesting
|swifts feeding on insects
|migrating swifts
|screaming swifts
Synonyms
swallow (A different but similar-looking bird; not the same species, but often mentioned together.)
Themes
animals
|nature
Definition
A small bird that flies very fast and catches insects while it is flying, looking a bit like a swallow.
A small, fast-flying bird that eats insects in the air and is similar in appearance to a swallow.
Grammar
Dictionary form
swift
IPA
GB/swˈɪft/
US/swˈɪft/
Syllables & stress
swift (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (swift)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: swift
- Comparative: swifter
- Superlative: swiftest
Noun
- Base: swift
- Plural: swifts
Word family
Expressions
swift action
1/swˈɪft ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
quick and decisive action
Action that is taken quickly, without delay, usually to solve a problem or stop something bad.
Examples
- The company took swift action to recall the faulty products.
- Swift action by the firefighters prevented the fire from spreading.
- Swift action is needed to protect the local jobs.
swift justice
1/swˈɪft d͡ʒˈʌstɪs/
fixed phrase
very quick legal punishment
Justice or legal punishment that is given very quickly after a crime or wrong action.
Examples
- The public demanded swift justice after the shocking crime.
- Critics argued that swift justice in this case left little time to examine the evidence.
- The judge promised swift justice for anyone who broke the new law.
swift response
1/swˈɪft ɹɪspˈɑns/
fixed phrase
very quick reply or reaction
A reply or reaction that is given very quickly, without making someone wait.
Examples
- Thank you for your swift response to my request.
- The hospital staff gave a swift response when the alarm sounded.
- A swift response from the team helped keep the customer happy.