English Words in Action, Group S

1. A criticism or insult that is directed at a particular person or group of people: The man used his Social Networking site to make several verbal swipes at his former employer.

Talk-show hosts on the political left and on the political right are constantly taking political and personal verbal swipes at each other.

2. A swinging motion of a person's hand, an animal's paw, etc. which is done in an attempt to hit something: The man took a swipe at the ball, but he missed it.
3. The action of passing a plastic card, on which data has been stored magnetically, through an electronic reading device: The clerk's swipe of the card in the electronic reader was the easiest way to pay for Sam's groceries.

1. To pass a plastic card through a piece of electronic equipment; such as, an electronic reader which decodes the information stored on the card in order to open a door, to pay for something, etc.: When Trina was ready to pay for the groceries, the clerk swiped her credit card in the electronic reader and gave the card back to her.
2. To steal something, often with a snatching movement: The kids swiped some candy from the store when the clerk was not watching.
3. To reach toward and to try to hit something with a swinging motion: The cat was swiping at the dog with her paw.

Deloris and Stacie swiped at the mosquitoes that were flying in their faces during their evening walk.

A plastic card with a magnetic strip containing encoded data that is read by passing the card through a slotted electronic device: A swipe card is primarily used to make electronic transactions and to provide access to restricted or secure places.

As a new employee, Marissa received a special swipecard that would allow her to be admitted through the security check point in the government building.

A plastic card; such as, a credit card, or an ID card, that has magnetically encoded information which is read when someone slides the edge of the card through an electronic device: Before James could gain entrance into the government building, he had to present his swipingcard to the guard who swiped it through the special electronic-identification machine.

1. A flexible stick or twig used for whipping someone: Ron's mother whipped her dog once with a switch when it refused to stop barking.
2. A process in which two sections of railroad track are changed: The rail switch is used to transfer rolling stock from one track to another one.
3. A device that is used to turn on or to turn off electrical appliances: Bruce and his family made the lights come on or go off with the use of switches that are located in each room and entrance way of their apartment.

1. To put aside, to abandon, or to change or exchange: Mildred decided to switch her plans to go shopping today and so she will go tomorrow instead.
2. To move quickly: When an animal switches its tail, it moves fast and suddenly, back and forth, from side to side.
3. To cause an electric current or an appliance to start or stop operating: Roy switched the lights on earlier in the evening, then he switched them off when he was ready to go to bed.

1. A person who is devoted to pleasures and luxuries: Sally was a sybarite who had inherited millions of dollars from her father which provided the funds for her to have a magnificent house and an extraordinary style of life and self-indulgence.
2. Etymology: borrowed from Latin Sybarita, which came from Greek Sybarites; from Sybaris.

Sybaris was a city of Magna Graecia, "Great Greece", that was located in southern Italy on the Gulf of Taranto. It was said to have been established in 720 B.C. by settlers from the Greek Peloponnesus, mainly from the city of Argolis, and developed into a very prosperous area. It was known for its luxurious hedonistic lifestyle for the sybarites until it was destroyed by neighboring Crotona in 510 B.C.

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