swipe
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
At cricket, to hit hard with a full swing of the bat. Most probably a condensation of "wipe swingeing" or "swinging wipe."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
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 “swipe” mean?
At cricket, to hit hard with a full swing of the bat. Most probably a condensation of "wipe swingeing" or "swinging wipe."
Is “swipe” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.