Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

swerve

/swɜːv/ verb

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about swerve at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To stray; to wander; to rove.
To go out of a straight line; to deflect.
To wander from any line prescribed, or from a rule or duty; to depart from what is established by law, duty, custom, or the like; to deviate.

noun

A curve, bend, or deviation from a straight course or line (e.g. the winding path of a stream or a sudden change of direction to avoid an obstacle or collision.).
A deviation from duty or custom.
Synonym of drift (“sideways movement imparted by spin bowler”).

Origin

From Middle English swerven, swarven, from Old English sweorfan (“to file; rub; polish; scour; turn aside”), from Proto-Germanic *swerbaną (“to rub off; wipe; mop”), from Proto-Indo-European *swerbʰ- (“to turn; wipe; sweep”). Cognate with West Frisian swerve (“to wander; roam; swerve”), Dutch zwerven (“to wander; stray; roam”), Low German swarven (“to swerve; wander; riot”), Swedish dialectal svärva (“to wipe”), Icelandic sverfa (“to file”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word