swift
swift — adjective
1. Done, moving, or happening at high speed, often in a smooth way.
Done, moving, or happening at high speed, often in a smooth way.
The rescue team gave a swift response to the call from the mountain.
swift response [collocation — quick reaction to a situation]
Quan made a swift decision to accept the job before the offer expired.
swift decision [collocation]
With a swift turn of the handle, Nila locked the gate behind her.
The government promised swift action after the flood damaged many homes.
Gabriela was swift to notice that the door had been left open all night.
文法句型
swift + noun
be swift + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often used before nouns describing reactions or movements, such as response, decision, action, or turn. The pattern 'be swift to + verb' is common for describing someone who notices or reacts quickly.
常見錯誤
swift — noun
1. A kind of bird whose long slender wings let it fly at great speed; it rarely lan
A kind of bird whose long slender wings let it fly at great speed; it rarely lands and stays airborne for most of its life.
Élise watched the swifts circling high above the old stone church at dusk.
swifts + circling above [typical flight behaviour]
A pair of swifts built their nest under the roof of the garden shed.
Every May, swifts return to the village and fill the sky with their sharp calls.
A swift flew low over the lake, skimming the surface for insects.
用法筆記
Swifts look similar to swallows but are not closely related. Unlike swallows, swifts rarely land and are known for sleeping while flying.
2. A small North American lizard known for running very quickly, especially the wes
A small North American lizard known for running very quickly, especially the western fence lizard.
Zayd saw a swift on the fence and watched it dart into a crack.
swift + dart into [rapid movement]
The swift disappeared under a pile of dry leaves when the dog walked past.
The children tried to catch a swift, but the lizard hid under a rock.
During our walk in the hills, we saw a swift resting on a flat rock.
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in North American English. The western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a common example.
swift — adverb
1. At a high speed; in a fast way. (in modern English, the form with -ly, 'swiftly'
At a high speed; in a fast way. (in modern English, the form with -ly, 'swiftly', is far more common in everyday use)
The river ran swift and cold through the narrow valley after the storm.
verb + swift + adjective [literary flat-adverb pattern]
Time passes swift when you are deeply engaged in work that you love.
[literary use — time passes swift]
The arrow flew swift and true and hit the centre of the target.
Her horse ran swift across the open field under the morning sun.
- swiftly
the standard modern adverb form; natural in all registers
文法句型
verb + swift
用法筆記
Flat adverbs (adverbs without -ly) like 'swift' are rare in modern English. For natural everyday speech and writing, use 'swiftly' instead. The flat form 'swift' survives mainly in poetry and literary prose.