Swan \Swan\ (sw[o^]n), n. [AS. swan; akin to D. zwaan, OHG.
   swan, G. schwan, Icel. svanr, Sw. svan, Dan. svane; and
   perhaps to E. sound something audible.]
   1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of large aquatic birds
      belonging to Cygnus, Olor, and allied genera of the
      subfamily Cygninae. They have a large and strong beak
      and a long neck, and are noted for their graceful
      movements when swimming. Most of the northern species are
      white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing a
      melodious song, especially at the time of its death.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The European white, or mute, swan (Cygnus gibbus),
         which is most commonly domesticated, bends its neck in
         an S-shaped curve. The whistling, or trumpeting, swans
         of the genus Olor do not bend the neck in an S-shaped
         curve, and are noted for their loud and sonorous cry,
         due to complex convolutions of the windpipe. To this
         genus belong the European whooper, or whistling swan
         (Olor cygnus), the American whistling swan (Olor
         Columbianus), and the trumpeter swan (Olor
         buccinator). The Australian black swan (Chenopis
         atrata) is dull black with white on the wings, and has
         the bill carmine, crossed with a white band. It is a
         very graceful species and is often domesticated. The
         South American black-necked swan (Sthenelides
         melancorypha) is a very beautiful and graceful
         species, entirely white, except the head and neck,
         which are dark velvety seal-brown. Its bill has a
         double bright rose-colored knob.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. Fig.: An appellation for a sweet singer, or a poet noted
      for grace and melody; as Shakespeare is called the swan of
      Avon.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Astron.) The constellation Cygnus.
      [1913 Webster]

   Swan goose (Zool.), a bird of India (Cygnopsis cygnoides)
      resembling both the swan and the goose.

   Swan shot, a large size of shot used in fowling.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	swan
    n 1: stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and
         usually white plumage as adult
    v 1: to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true; "Before
         God I swear I am innocent" [syn: affirm, verify,
         assert, avow, aver, swan, swear]
    2: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in
       search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods";
       "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam
       across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the
       next"; "They rolled from town to town" [syn: roll,
       wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble,
       rove, range, drift, vagabond]
    3: sweep majestically; "Airplanes were swanning over the
       mountains"

	

	66 Moby Thesaurus words for "swan":
   alabaster, avifauna, baby bird, bird, bird of Jove, bird of Juno,
   bird of Minerva, bird of night, bird of passage, bird of prey,
   birdie, birdlife, birdy, cage bird, chalk, chick, cygnet,
   diving bird, dove, driven snow, eagle, eaglet, fish-eating bird,
   fledgling, fleece, flightless bird, flour, foam, fowl,
   fruit-eating bird, fulmar, game bird, insect-eating bird, ivory,
   lily, maggot, migrant, migratory bird, milk, nestling, oscine bird,
   owl, paper, passerine bird, peacock, peafowl, peahen, pearl,
   perching bird, pigeon, ratite, sea bird, seed-eating bird, sheet,
   shore bird, silver, snow, songbird, squab, storm petrel,
   stormy petrel, wading bird, warbler, water bird, waterfowl,
   wildfowl

	

	SWAN
       Sun Wide Area Network (Sun, WAN)

	

	SWAN
       Secure WAN (RSA), "S/WAN"

	

	Swan
   mentioned in the list of unclean birds (Lev. 11:18; Deut.
   14:16), is sometimes met with in the Jordan and the Sea of
   Galilee.

	

	Swan, IA -- U.S. city in Iowa
   Population (2000):    121
   Housing Units (2000): 40
   Land area (2000):     0.647074 sq. miles (1.675914 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    0.647074 sq. miles (1.675914 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            76665
   Located within:       Iowa (IA), FIPS 19
   Location:             41.466268 N, 93.311197 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     50252
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Swan, IA
    Swan