swims - Master This Word
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swims Word Meanings
- to move through water by using the body
- to float or be submerged in water
- to participate in a swimming race
swims Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
swims Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/swɪm/
US
/swɪm/
swims Word Etymology
The root 'swim' is of Old English origin, derived from Proto-Germanic *swiman, meaning 'to move.' Visualize someone gliding smoothly through the water, mimicking the grace of fish.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I push off from the wall, hands reach forward, and my body starts to move through the water. I feel the water resist, I adjust my arms and legs, and I keep a steady rhythm as I change direction with a gentle kick. The effort is real but manageable, the breath finding its own line as my chest opens to the glide. This small push-pull through water helps the idea of swim slip from thinking to doing, a skill I can carry into tasks that need momentum.
Real Context
Swim is a verb that describes moving through water by using the arms and legs, or simply floating with the head above water. It covers actions like swimming across a lake, doing laps in a pool, or teaching a child to swim. It also appears in phrases such as swim stroke, swim team, or go swimming. The sense of physical movement contrasts with related ideas like float or drown, and you can swim for exercise, sport, recreation, or survival. The verb forms include can swim, will swim, swam, or swum, and it appears in many tenses and constructions.
Usage Reminders
- Practice the irregular past forms: swam, swum.
- Use swim for both ongoing actions (I am swimming) and general statements (I swim).
- Remember 'a swim' is a noun meaning a session of swimming.
- Specify location with in a pool, in the sea, or in the lake.
- Learn common phrases: go swimming, swimming pool, swim team.
Common Misconceptions
- Swim is only about moving in water; it can also be a noun: a swim.
- People often say 'swimmed' for the past tense; correct forms are swam and swum.
- Confusing swim with float or bathe; float is not the same as actively moving through water.
- Misusing prepositions: say 'in a pool' or 'in the sea', not 'on a pool/at a sea'.
- Thinking 'swim' always refers to sports; it also covers casual, recreational swimming.
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker (meta, keep short)
Learning Tips
- Spot the irregular past forms: swam, swum.
- Use 'go swimming' to refer to the activity.
- Differentiate swim (verb) and swimming (the activity/sport).
- Pair with location: in a pool, in the sea, in the lake.
- Combine with modals: I can swim, I will swim.
- Learn common phrases: swimming pool, swim team, swimming lessons.
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
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