▪ I. swap, swop, n.
(swɒp)
Also 4–7 swappe, 5 swape, (sqwappe, squappe), 8 s.w. dial. zwap, zwop, 9 swapp.
[f. next. The spelling swap for both is recommended.]
I. 1. An act of ‘swapping’ or striking; a stroke, blow; † occas. a kiss. Obs. exc. dial.
| α 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 222 Fendez ful blake Weued at þe fyrst swap as þe snaw þikke. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame ii. 35 (Fairf.) With hys grym pawes stronge,..Me fleynge in a swappe [Bodl. MS. yn a swape, Caxton at a swap] he hente. c 1400 Anturs of Arth. xlii. (Douce MS.) Withe a swap [v.r. sqwappe] of a swerde þat swaþel him swykes. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iii. 313 The gate shal open lightly at a swap. c 1440 York Myst. xxxiii. 362 Swete may þis swayne for sweght of our swappes! 1530 Palsgr. 842/2 Swappe for Swappe, coup pour coup. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 48 Halfe oure tyme..is at one swappe quite taken awaye. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iv. iv. (Arb.) 66, I with my newe broome will sweepe hym one swappe. a 1566 R. Edwards Damon & Pithias (1571) F iij b, If ich could not steale one swap at their lippes. a 1625 Fletcher Nice Valour iii. i, There's no new-fashioned swappe that ere came up yet But I've the first on 'em. 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes i. viii. 30 The Usher gives him a shrewd swap on the very end of the elbow. 1818 Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck I. viii. 135 Whan a thing comes on ye that gate, that's a dadd... Then a paik, that's a swapp or a skelp like. 1822 ― Perils of Man xix. II. 243 Pell-mell, swap for swap, was a' that they countit on. |
| β 1746 Exmoor Scolding (E.D.S.) 100 Gi' me a Zwop?—Ad! chell gi' tha a Wherret, or a Zlat in the Chups. 1863 Barnes Dorset Gloss., Swop, a strong whop. |
II. 2. a. An act, or the action, of ‘swapping’ or exchanging; (an) exchange. slang or colloq.
| α 1625 Purchas Pilgrimes I. iv. iv. §2. 418 They..will either beg them, or make a swap with you in priuate. 1711 N. Blundell Diary (1895) 90, I proposed a Swap with Samw. Edw. between my Button and his Gray Galloway. 1785 Burns 1st Ep. J. Lapraik xviii, We'se..hae a swap o' rhymin-ware Wi' ane anither. 1798 T. Morton Speed the Plough i. i. (1800) 7 Drabbit it, only to think of the zwaps and changes of this world! 1805 James Milit. Dict. (ed. 2) s.v., A writership or a military appointment given for a seat in parliament may be called a swap. 1822 Cobbett Rur. Rides (1830) 117 *Lord Castlereagh..was accused of making a swap, as the horse-jockeys call it, of a writer-ship against a seat. 1888 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms viii, A big, brown, resolute, well-bred horse he had got in a swap because the man that had him was afraid of him. |
| β 1682 T. Flatman Heraclitus Ridens No. 72. (1713) II. 191 They'd almost threaten to flee the Land, and put themselves under the Protection of the French King... And a fair swop, cry I. 1702 E. Baynard Cold Baths ii. (1706) 172 It cur'd her Ague, but made a worse swop; for she was..seiz'd with Epileptick Fits. 1714 Addison Spect. No. 559 ¶6 These [two gentlemen] had made a foolish Swop between a Couple of thick bandy Legs, and two long Trapsticks that had no Calfs to them. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 370/1 The glass wares are so very rarely sold..‘Swop, sir,’ I was told repeatedly, ‘they all goes in swop.’ 1882 Sala Amer. Revis. (1885) 365 [Railway] tickets are..the object of..barter, ‘swop’ and ‘trade’ generally. 1884 Manch. Exam. 6 Dec. 5/5 It is probable that Mr. Master will find little to complain of in the swop he has effected. |
† b. ? An allowance made in exchanging. Obs.
| 1595 Compt Bk. D. Wedderburne (S.H.S.) 31 Item xs. for the swap to be allowit in the Witsonday termes meill nixt. |
c. slang. to get (or have) the swap: to be dismissed from employment. (Cf. swap v. 9 a.)
| 1890 Barrère & Leland Slang Dict. s.v. Swop. 1905 Wells Kipps i. v. §3 Every time I've had the swap I've never believed I should get another Crib. |
3. Finance. In foreign exchange operations: an exchange of an amount of money at different rates (i.e. a ‘spot’ sale for a ‘forward’ purchase). More generally, an arrangement between the central banks of two countries for stand-by credit to facilitate the exchange of each other's currency. Chiefly attrib.
| 1963 Economist 14 Dec. 70/1 A permanent system of automatic swap-lines as opposed to the existing three-monthly swaps is favoured together with easier facilities for medium term credit. 1968 Times 9 Sept. 1/2 Swap arrangements. The 12 members of the Basle central bankers' club have made reciprocal arrangements to make short-term loans to each other in the event of any currency coming under severe pressure. 1970 Sloan & Zurcher Dict. Econ. (ed. 5) 425 Swap credits are used especially in periods of emergency when a particular country's currency..comes under pressure because speculators are selling it on the world markets. 1975 Financial Times 29 Oct. 7/1 A classic swap is a transaction in which a spot purchase of a given currency, is covered by a forward sale of the same amount. 1979 Bank of England Q. Bull. June 131 The Federal Reserve and the US Treasury again repaid some swap debt to other central banks. |
4. Special combinations. swap fund U.S. Stock Exchange, a fund which investors enter by exchanging securities directly for shares in the fund, obtaining a diversified portfolio without selling stock, and thereby avoiding liability for capital gains tax on the sale of these securities; swap meet chiefly U.S., a gathering at which enthusiasts discuss, exchange, or trade items of common interest; swap shop, an agency for putting people with articles to exchange or trade in touch with one another; also fig.
| 1966 Economist 23 July 380/1 The Revenue Service..will no longer permit investors to defer capital gains tax on the appreciation of stocks exchanged for shares of the special swap funds. 1973 Daily Tel. 25 Aug. 16/1 A market has been established in them [sc. bottles] and regular ‘swop-meets’ are arranged so that enthusiasts can buy and sell among themselves. 1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 11 July 3-b/1 The swap meet has become an annual event that attracts visitors from Canada and other states to exchange information about antique cars and parts, he said. 1976 Milton Keynes Express 18 June 27/6 (Advt.), Dishot Swop Shop. 1976 Sunday Post (Glasgow) 26 Dec., Just before half-time some fans not involved in the beer can ‘swop-shop’ took refuge on the park. 1977 Skateboard Special Sept. 2/1 If you want to take up our super Swap-Shop offer now's your chance. 1979 Guardian 5 July 4/4 Instead of handing down golden tablets..the Schools Council will become more of a swap shop for ideas. |
▪ II. swap, swop, v.
(swɒp)
Forms: α. 4– swap, 4–7 swappe, (5 squappe, swape), 6–7 swapp; pa. tense 3–6 swapte, 4 swappede, (5 sqwapputte); pa. tense and pple. 4– swapped, swapt; Sc. and north. 4–5 swappyt, 4–6 swappit, 6 swapit, (suapit). β. 5–6 swope, 7– swop; pa. tense and pple. 7– swopped, swopt.
[prob. of echoic origin, signifying a smart resounding blow (cf. swap adv.). So G. dial. schwappe resounding box on the ear, schwappen to make a clapping or splashing noise, to strike with a resounding blow.
The development of the sense of concluding a bargain from that of striking is paralleled in various uses of strike; cf. also L. fœdus ferire.]
I. † 1. a. trans. To strike, hit, smite (occas. used of kissing). Also fig. Obs.
| a 1400 Leg. Rood (1871) 142 A swerd swapped hire þorw þe brest. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1271 With a swinge of his sworde [he] swappit hym in þe fase. c 1400 Anturs of Arth. xl. (Douce MS.) He swapped [v.r. sqwapputte] him yne at þe swyre, with a swerde kene. c 1440 York Myst. xxx. 286 A sweuene þat swiftely hir swapped, Of one Jesu þe juste man. 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. xxiv. Wks. 1256/2 They that lye in a plewrosy, thinke that euery time they cough, they fele a sharp sweorde swap them to the heart. 1557 T. Phaer æneid vi. R j b, Anon the giltie soules..Tisiphonee doth take, and scourging them she swappes with whippes. 1577–82 Breton Flourish upon Fancie (Grosart) 6/2 To..swap ech slut vpon the lippes, that in the darke he meetes. |
b. To strike or smite off, in two, etc.; to cut or chop off or asunder at one blow; to drive out, etc. by striking. Obs. exc. arch. Also † to swap to (the) death, swap of live, to kill at a blow.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3609 To haue with his swerd swapped of his hed. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 691 The gynour than gert bend in hy The gyne, and swappit out the stane. c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 247 Who so wol nat sacrifise Swape [v.rr. swap, swappe] of his heed. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 957 (Ashm. MS.) He swyngis out with a swerd & swappis him to dethe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6699 With a swyng of his sword [he] swappit hym of lyue. c 1400 Anturs of Arth. xl. (Ireland MS.) Syxti maylis and moe, The squrd squappes [Douce MS. swapt] in toe. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. xiv. 389 The Devill Swapp [MS. W. 1592 swope] of my Swyre, if I do it without hyre. 1581 A. Hall Iliad x. 186 The king for thirtenth Diomede out life to death doth swap. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 92 Feare thear vs enforced..Too swap of our cables. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xx. xxxiii, And then Alarcos head she swapt off cleene. |
| 1888 Doughty Trav. Arabia Deserta II. 17 Drawing his sword, he..swapt off at once the miserable man's head. |
c. To cut or reap (corn or other crops) close to the ground with a ‘swap-hook’ (see 6). dial.
| 1853 W. D. Cooper Sussex Gloss. (ed. 2) Swap,..to cut wheat in a peculiar way, more like chopping than reaping. S. 1861 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXII. ii. 378 Both crops were ‘swapped’, or cut close to the ground. 1903 Sat. Rev. 8 Aug. 168/2 It is time..to go swapping the laid piece down by Kixes Wood. |
2. intr. To strike, smite, deal a blow or blows. Now rare or Obs.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1129 He..Swappez in with the swerde Þat it þe swange brystedde. Ibid. 1795 He spede hym fulle ȝerne, Swappede owtte with a swerde. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5936 He swappit at hym swithe with a swerd felle. c 1400 Song Roland 747 He drawithe out his swerd, and swappithe hym about. c 1465 Chevy Chase xxxi. in Child Ballads (1889) III. 309/1 The swapte togethar tylle the both swat, With swordes that wear of fyn myllan. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) I. 206 Tha swapit ouir quhill all the swyir did swydder. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 63 Wi' angry bill, and will theretill, They wapp't and swapp't, and flapp't and slapp't. |
3. trans. To move (something) quickly or briskly, esp. so as to impinge upon something else; to fling, cast, throw (down, etc.) forcibly; to bang (a door) to; refl. to sit down with force, plump oneself down. Obs. exc. dial.
| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 1899 Beues is swerd anon vp swapte. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 245 His hed to þe wal, his body to þe grounde Ful ofte he swapte. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 623 Ȝeit ves thar ane Of thame that swappit doun a stane. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xiii. 2022 (Wemyss MS.) He swappit egirly þe blude Rycht in till William Wallace face. c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. 3 (Harl. MS.) He swapte his hed vndir þe watir. c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon i. 111 Sheele swap thee into hir plackerd. 1592 Babington Comf. Notes Gen. xviii. 71 b, We swap vs downe in our places most vnreuerently. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden P iv, He runs and swaps the doore too. 1642 Life Hen. II in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) V. 235 Because the legate was not to remove, and the archbishop would not remove, therefore he most unmannerly swopped him down on the Archbishop of Canterbury's lap. 1794 Wolcot (P. Pindar) Frogs & Jupiter Wks. 1812 III. 259 Down he swopp'd A monstrous Piece of Wood. 1825 Mackenzie Hist. Northumbld. I. 149 note, To swap the door..is as much as to say, shut it violently. 1846 W. E. Forster in Reid Life (1888) I. vi. 186 Only think of poor self swapped down in the midst of forty Quakeresses. |
4. a. intr. To move with haste or violence, esp. so as to strike or impinge upon something; to fall down suddenly or with a ‘flop’; to sink into a swoon; to come hastily or forcibly, fling oneself into a place, etc. Now rare or Obs.
The instance of swapte in the later text of Layamon 26775 (Beofs to him swapte [earlier text him biarnde] and mid harmes hine biclupte) is prob. an error for swipte (see swip), a frequent form in Layamon.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 683 The stane smertly swappit out. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 1099 Al sodeynly she swapte [v.r. swapped] adoun to grounde. a 1400 Minor Poems Vernon MS. (1901) 621 Heo swapte on swownyng. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 349 As bestly folk [thai] tuk off thaim selff no keip..Through full gluttre in swarff swappyt lik swyn. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 184 Scho..flatlyngis fell, and swappit in to swoun. 1592 W. Wyrley Armorie, Capitall de Buz 113 With chilling fear, the Ladies swapped downe, In deadly sownd. 1600 Surflet Country Farm i. xv. 93 The kite,..which sometimes will not let to swap into the very broode-house to..carrie away the chickens. c 1700 Kennett MS. Lansd. 1033, To swapp or swoop at, catch hastily as a kite is said to swapp at chickens. 1728 Vanbr. & Cib. Prov. Husb. v. iii, So in swops me, with my Hoop stuff'd up to my Forehead! 1770 Foote Lame Lover ii. Wks. 1799 II. 79 There he swops with both his knees on the ground. |
b. To flap or beat up and down: also with it.
| c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 775 Thy slyppers they swap it, yet thou fotys it lyke a swanne. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) III. 561 Vpoun ane suey ay swappand vp and doun. 1884 ‘Mark Twain’ Huck. Finn viii, There was freckled places on the ground where the light sifted down through the leaves, and the freckled places swapped about a little, showing there was a little breeze up there. |
c. trans. To pounce upon, seize.
| a 1712 W. King Eagle & Robin 137 They'll swop our chicken from the door. 1821 [see swapping ppl. a. 1]. |
† 5. trans. To drink off quickly, toss off; to eat up, devour. Obs.
| 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 243 Thai swapit of the sueit wyne. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 41 At a blow hee lustelye swapping, Thee wyne..swild vp to the bottom. 1592 Nashe Four Lett. Confut. Ep. Ded., Wks. 1904 I. 258 That thou mightst swappe off a hartie draught to the success of this voiage. 1593 G. Harvey Pierce's Super. Wks. (Grosart) II. 231 Thou hast swapped-downe a pounde of Butter at a peece of a Breakefast. 1609 Healey Discov. New World i. 1 Where that huge..Birde called Rvc, snatcheth vp..a whole Elephant at a stoope, and swappes him vp at a bit. |
6. Comb.: swap-hook dial., a kind of reaping-hook for cutting crops close to the ground (see 1 c); † swap-tail a., that strikes with its tail.
| 1863 Standard 10 Sept. (Sussex provincialism), *Swap-hook. 1875 Parish Dict. Sussex Dial., Swap, to reap corn and beans. Swap-hook, the implement used for swapping. 1883 Jefferies Life of Fields (1884) 84 [In Sussex] They call their reaphooks swaphooks or swophooks. |
| 1681 Grew Musæum i. ii. iii. 46 The *Swaptail Lizard. Uromastix vel Caudiverbera. |
II. † 7. a. absol. or intr. app. To ‘strike hands’ in token of an agreement or bargain. Obs. rare—1.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1108 Swete, swap we so, sware with trawþe. |
† b. trans. To strike (a bargain). Also with up.
| 1590 Lodge Rosalind (1592) F ij, Aliena..swapt a bargaine with his Landslord. 1592 Greene Black Bookes Messenger Wks. (Grosart) XI. 17 Wee like two good Horse-corsers, made a choppe and change, and swapt vp a Rogish bargaine, and so he married my wife and I his. 1650 J. Reynolds Flower of Fidelity 147 They forth with swapt a bargain. 1692 [A. Pitcairn] Assembly iv. i. (1766) 46, I must know what you can do, ere I swap a Bargain. |
8. a. To give or dispose of in exchange for something else; to exchange (a thing) with another person. Also, to give (something) to (a person) by way of exchange; to swap horses in midstream: see horse n. 18. Chiefly, now only, slang or colloq.
Probably orig. a horsedealer's term: cf. 1592 in 7 b.
| α 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie v. iii, Ile not swap my father for all this. 1600 ― Love's Metam. i. ii, Inconstancie is a vice, which I will not swap for all the vertues. 1646 J. Hall Poems, To Mr. Hall on his..Detractors, Thy works purchase thee more Then they can swappe there Heritages for. 1679 Lond. Gaz. No. 1423/4 He swapt a sorrel Stonehorse near Ripon about 14 or 15 hands high. 1708 N. Blundell Diary (1895) 61 He was about swaping his Running Hors with my Lord Mountg[arret]. 1798 Root Amer. Law Rep. I. 66 One Rose and Charles Knot..proposed to swap shoe buckles. 1823 Moore Mem. (1853) IV. 149 Find that the man with whom I wished to swap ponies requires five pounds with mine. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 154 He will ‘swap’ anything with you. 1830–2 Carleton Traits (1843) I. 263, I offer up a pater and ave for you, and you again for me. This is called swapping or exchanging prayers. 1861 Thackeray Four Georges i. (1876) 7 [He] swapped a battalion against a dancing-girl's diamond necklace. 1864 A. Lincoln in E. R. Jones Lincoln, etc. (1876) 59, I am reminded..of a story of an old Dutch farmer, who remarked..‘that it was not best to swap horses when crossing a stream.’ 1888 Eggleston Graysons x. 109 Farmers frequented the town, to meet old friends and get the better of them in swapping horses. 1891 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 12 Sept. 5/1 As they sat in the tavern, swapping stories. 1934 D. Hammett Thin Man iii. 14 Right now I'd swap you all the interviews with Mayor-elect O'Brien ever printed..for a slug of whis―. 1940 W. Faulkner Hamlet i. ii. 38 The team Stamper had swapped him stopped now with their heads down. 1948 ― Intruder in Dust (1949) ix. 192, I swapped Crawford Gowrie a German pistol. |
| β 1624 Quarles Job i, There dwelt a man brought from his linniage That for his belly swopt his heritage. a 1658 Cleveland Poems, To T.C. 45 For to make Mummie of her Grease, Or swop her to the Paper Mill. 1660 Okie's Lament. 38 My Horses swopt for light Nags. 1764 H. Walpole Let. to Mann 27 July, I believe my Lady Temple would..be heartily glad to swop situations with you. 1800 M. Edgeworth Castle Rackrent Gloss. p. xxxviii, He makes me an offer to swop his mare that he couldn't sell at the fair of Gurtishannon. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xviii, The new-fashioned finery which she swopt her character for. 1860 O. W. Holmes Elsie V. vii. (1891) 96, I wish our little man and him would swop pulpits. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. iv. 66 He bought and sold and swopped horses. 1890 Younghusband Polo in India iii. 42 Jones's Rs. 500 pony had been swopped for a worthless mare. |
b. with advs. away, off.
| 1589 R. Harvey Pl. Perc. 1 He..swapt away his siluer for Copper retaile. 1683 Tryon Way to Health 500 They swap us away for a little Money to the Butcher. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4404/3 He rode a stout black Mare the Day before taken, which he swop'd away. 1841 J. T. J. Hewlett Parish Clerk I. 204 Two cover-hacks..were exchanged, or rather, in stable phrase, swapped away. 1862 Lowell Biglow P. Ser. ii. iii. 140 Swappin' silver off for lead ain't the sure way to win. 1866 Whittier Summer with Dr. Singletary vi, I've noticed that your college chaps swop away their common sense for their larning. 1907 K. D. Wiggin New Chron. Rebecca viii. 230 He breaks all the young colts and trains them, and swaps off the poor ones. |
c. absol. To exchange, make an exchange. Also with indirect obj., to make an exchange of some specified item with (someone). colloq.
| 1778 F. Burney Evelina lxxxiii, Doff your coat and waistcoat, and swop with Monsieur Grinagain here. 1809 Kendall Trav. III. lxix. 87 To buy, to sell, to exchange, or, as they term it, to swap, are the pursuits in which they wish to be constantly engaged. 1857 Hughes Tom Brown i. ix, I know something of him at home, and should like to excuse him—will you swop? 1885 J. K. Jerome On the Stage 153 If any gentleman has more friends of that kind than he wants, and would care to have a few of the opposite stamp, I am quite ready to swop with him. 1976 Evening Chron. (Newcastle) 26 Nov., As Coun. Collins says this council work will suit a pensioner, if he will answer this letter and tell me how many council meetings he has in a week, I will swap him. |
9. transf. in various slang uses. a. To dismiss or be dismissed from employment. b. To cheat, take in. c. To change one's clothes.
| 1862 Macm. Mag. Nov. 34 The assistant [in a linen-draper's]..‘swops’ or is ‘swopped’, or gets or gives ‘the sack’. 1880 J. C. Harris Uncle Remus iv, Den Brer Fox know dat he bin swop off mighty bad. 1904 Sladen Playing the Game ii. xiv, My man can bring my dress things later, if you'll give me a room to swop in. 1905 Wells Kipps i. v. heading, ‘Swapped!’ [= dismissed]. |
▪ III. swap, swop, adv. (int.) Now dial. (see Eng. Dial. Dict.)
[The stem of swap v. Cf. G. schwapp(s), LG. swaps int.]
At a blow; with sudden violence; suddenly and forcibly.
| 1672 Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Rehearsal ii. iii. (Arb.) 57 His spirits exhale with the heat of his passion, and all that, and swop falls asleep. 1687 Montague & Prior Hind & P. Transv. 20 She's in the right on't; but mind now, she comes upon her swop! 1702 Mouse grown a Rat 4, I came upon him swop with Abundance of Confidence. 1728 Vanbr. & Cib. Prov. Husb. i. ii, And straight upo' that, swap comes somewhat across my forehead. a 1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. Ind. (1834) 297 The waves..hovering for a while over the ship, and then coming down upon us swop. |