Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

swanmore about swan

swan

 

  6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Swan  \Swan\,  n.  [AS.  swan;  akin  to  D.  zwaan  OHG.  swan,  G. 
  schwan,  Icel.  svanr  Sw  svan,  Dan.  svane;  and  perhaps  to  E. 
  sound  something  audible.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  large  aquatic 
  birds  belonging  to  {Cygnus},  {Olor},  and  allied  genera  of 
  the  subfamily  {Cygnin[ae]}.  They  have  a  large  and  strong 
  beak  and  a  long  neck,  and  are  noted  for  their  graceful 
  movements  when  swimming.  Most  of  the  northern  species  are 
  white.  In  literature  the  swan  was  fabled  to  sing  a 
  melodious  song,  especially  at  the  time  of  its  death. 
 
  Note:  The  European  white,  or  mute,  swan  ({Cygnus  gibbus}), 
  which  is  most  commonly  domesticated,  bends  its  neck  in 
  an  S-shaped  curve.  The  whistling,  or  trumpeting,  swans 
  of  the  genus  {Olor}  do  not  bend  the  neck  in  an  S-shaped 
  curve,  and  are  noted  for  their  loud  and  sonorous  cry, 
  due  to  complex  convolutions  of  the  windpipe.  To  this 
  genus  belong  the  European  whooper,  or  whistling  swan 
  ({Olor  cygnus}),  the  American  whistling  swan  ({O. 
  Columbianus}),  and  the  trumpeter  swan  ({O. 
  buccinator}).  The  Australian  black  swan  ({Chenopis 
  atrata})  is  dull  black  with  white  on  the  wings,  and  has 
  the  bill  carmine,  crossed  with  a  white  band.  It  is  a 
  very  graceful  species  and  is  often  domesticated.  The 
  South  American  black-necked  swan  ({Sthenelides 
  melancorypha})  is  a  very  beautiful  and  graceful 
  species,  entirely  white,  except  the  head  and  neck, 
  which  are  dark  velvety  seal-brown.  Its  bill  has  a 
  double  bright  rose-colored  knob. 
 
  2.  Fig.:  An  appellation  for  a  sweet  singer,  or  a  poet  noted 
  for  grace  and  melody;  as  Shakespeare  is  called  the  swan  of 
  Avon. 
 
  3.  (Astron.)  The  constellation  Cygnus. 
 
  {Swan  goose}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  bird  of  India  ({Cygnopsis 
  cygnoides})  resembling  both  the  swan  and  the  goose. 
 
  {Swan  shot},  a  large  size  of  shot  used  in  fowling. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  swan 
  n  :  stately  heavy-bodied  aquatic  bird  with  very  long  neck  and 
  usually  white  plumage  as  adult 
  v  1:  to  declare  or  affirm  as  true:  "Before  God  I  swear  I  am 
  innocent."  [syn:  {affirm},  {assert},  {avow},  {aver},  {swear}] 
  2:  wander  about  aimlessly;  "The  gypsies  roamed  the  woods"  [syn: 
  {wander},  {stray},  {roam},  {cast},  {ramble},  {rove},  {range}, 
  {drift},  {vagabond}] 
  3:  sweep  majestically;  "Airplanes  were  swanning  over  the 
  mountains" 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Swan,  IA  (city,  FIPS  76665) 
  Location:  41.46561  N,  93.30942  W 
  Population  (1990):  76  (33  housing  units) 
  Area:  1.7  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  50252 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Swan 
  mentioned  in  the  list  of  unclean  birds  (Lev.  11:18;  Deut. 
  14:16),  is  sometimes  met  with  in  the  Jordan  and  the  Sea  of 
  Galilee. 
 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  SWAN 
  Secure  WAN  ???  (RSA),  "S/WAN" 
 
 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  SWAN 
  Sun  Wide  Area  Network  (Sun,  WAN)




more about swan