swim
Preserved but no longer current.
"a good SWIM," a good run of luck, a long time out of the policeman’s clutches.—Thieves’ term. Among anglers "a good SWIM" is a good pitch for a part where fish are plentiful—that is, because a lot of fish keeping together are called a SWIM. Thus one who is in luck, is well connected, or is doing a good business, is said to be in a good SWIM.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “swim” mean?
"a good SWIM," a good run of luck, a long time out of the policeman’s clutches.—Thieves’ term. Among anglers "a good SWIM" is a good pitch for a part where fish are plentiful—that is, because a lot of fish keeping together are called a SWIM. Thus one who is in luck, is well connected, or is doing a good business, is said to be in a good SWIM.
Is “swim” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.