happening or done quickly and immediately; doing something quickly 迅即发生的；马上做出的；迅速的 swift action 迅速的行动 a swift decision 迅即作出的决定 He rose to his feet in one swift movement. 他迅速站了起来。 - swift to do something
The White House was swift to deny the rumours. 白宫立刻对这些传言予以否认。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
moving very quickly; able to move very quickly 速度快的；敏捷的；矫健的 a swift current 湍急的水流 a swift runner 跑得飞快的人
Which Word? fast / quick / rapidfast / quick / rapidThese adjectives are frequently used with the following nouns:fast ~ quick ~ rapid ~ car glance change train look growth bowler reply increase pace decision decline lane way progress - Fast is used especially to describe a person or thing that moves or is able to move at great speed.
fast 尤用以描述高速运动的人或事物。 - Quick is more often used to describe something that is done in a short time or without delay.
quick 较常用以描述迅速或立即完成的事。 - Rapid, swift and speedy are more formal words.
rapid、swift 和 speedy 较正式。 - Rapid is most commonly used to describe the speed at which something changes. It is not used to describe the speed at which something moves or is done:
- a rapid train
- We had a rapid coffee.
- Swift usually describes something that happens or is done quickly and immediately:
a swift decision 迅即作出的决定 The government took swift action. 政府立即采取了行动。
- Speedy has a similar meaning:
speedy 与 swift 意思相近： a speedy recovery. 迅速恢复。
- a speedy car.
- For the use of fast and quick as adverbs, note at quick.
关于 fast 和 quick 作副词的用法，见词条 quick 的用法说明。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
Word OriginOld English (as an adjective), from the Germanic base of Old English swīfan ‘move in a course, sweep’. The bird name dates from the mid 17th cent.