- 1[intransitive, transitive] swipe (at) somebody/something to hit or try to hit somebody/something with your hand or an object by swinging your arm He swiped at the ball and missed.
- 2[transitive] swipe something (informal) to steal something synonym pinch They’re always swiping other kids’ sweets. See related entries: Committing crime
- 3[transitive] swipe something to pass a plastic card, such as a credit card, through a special machine that is able to read the information that is stored on it The cash register only opens once the card has been swiped.
- 4[intransitive, transitive] swipe (something) (on/across something) to move your finger quickly across the screen of an electronic device such as a mobile/cell phone or small computer in order to move text, pictures, etc. or give commands Switch on the phone and swipe your finger across the screen to unlock it. Word Originmid 18th cent.: perhaps a variant of sweep.
swipe
verbBrE BrE//swaɪp//; NAmE NAmE//swaɪp//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they swipe BrE BrE//swaɪp//; NAmE NAmE//swaɪp//
he / she / it swipes BrE BrE//swaɪps//; NAmE NAmE//swaɪps//
past simple swiped BrE BrE//swaɪpt//; NAmE NAmE//swaɪpt//
past participle swiped BrE BrE//swaɪpt//; NAmE NAmE//swaɪpt//
-ing form swiping BrE BrE//ˈswaɪpɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈswaɪpɪŋ//
Committing crimeCheck pronunciation: swipe
