SWIVEL (swivelled, swivelling)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: swivelled    , swivelling   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does swivel mean? 

• SWIVEL (noun)
  The noun SWIVEL has 1 sense:

1. a coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a headed pin

  Familiarity information: SWIVEL used as a noun is very rare.

• SWIVEL (verb)
  The verb SWIVEL has 1 sense:

1. turn on a pivot

  Familiarity information: SWIVEL used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SWIVEL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a headed pin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("swivel" is a kind of...):

coupler; coupling (a mechanical device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent objects)

Derivation:

swivel (turn on a pivot)

• SWIVEL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they swivel    ... he / she / it swivels   
Past simple: swiveled    / swivelled   
Past participle: swiveled    / swivelled   
-ing form: swiveling    / swivelling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Turn on a pivot

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

pivot; swivel

Hypernyms (to "swivel" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "swivel"):

pirouette (do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

swivel (a coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a headed pin)

 Context examples 

They had the gun, by this time, slewed round upon the swivel, and Hands, who was at the muzzle with the rammer, was in consequence the most exposed.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The words, Pretty fellow, or Poor fellow, seemed to be in my ears, too; but certainly there was nothing else, when I awoke, to lead me to believe that they had been uttered by my aunt, who sat in the bow-window gazing at the sea from behind the green fan, which was mounted on a kind of swivel, and turned any way.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Easy with that, men—easy, he ran on, to the fellows who were shifting the powder; and then suddenly observing me examining the swivel we carried amidships, a long brass nine, Here you, ship's boy, he cried, out o' that!

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)