swimming

plural swimmings

1. countableuncountableThe act or art of sustaining and propelling the body in water.

   Triathlon competitors take part in open water swimming.

   2 more examples

   The daring adventures of the American people in their scalings of the Alps and the Rocky mountains and in their swimmings across the Niagara rapids […]

   1909, Swami Rama Tirtha, In Woods of God-realization: The pole star within, 7th edition

   Though we don’t all reach nirvana when we swim, swimming may well be that last refuge from connectivity — and, for some, the only way to find the solitary self.

   2014 February 14, Bonnie Tsui, “The Self-Reflecting Pool”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2021

plural swimmings

1. countableuncountableThe state of being dizzy or in vertigo.

   Swimmings of the head and intestinal pains seemed the prelude of dissolution.

   1869, William Chambers, Robert Chambers, Chambers's Miscellany of Instructive & Entertaining Tracts, page 2

   3 more examples

   Then I take my pipe of Tabacco, sitting close by a warme fire, the space of halfe an houre and more, vntill the giddinesse and swimming in my head be past, and the medicine also haue done it feate : then I vse to gargle my mouth with a cuppe of beere, well warmed with a toste.

   1602, A New and Short Defense of Tabacco: with the effectes of the same: and of the right vse thereof, London: Clement Knight, “Rule”, unnumbered page

   But when the worms are killed with the aforesaid medicines, you must driue them out without delay : for there proceedeth a vicious exhalation from them, which both destroyeth appetite, and hurteth digestion, and being lifted vpward, it causeth swimmings, and other euils.

   1624, Philip Barrough, The Method of Physick, Contaning the Cavses, Signes, and Cvres of Inward Diseases in Mans Body, From the Head to the Foote: […], 6th edition, London: Richard Field, page 134

   [The Speedwell] doth also wonderfully helpe the memory, and to ease all turnings and swimmings, and other paines of the head, and as it is sayd helpeth women to become fruitfull, that were barren[.]

   1640, John Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum: The Theater of Plants. Or, an Herball of Large Extent: […], London, page 552

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of swim