swimmingly

comparative more swimmingly · superlative most swimmingly

1. With a gliding motion suggesting swimming.

   Bear your Hips ſwimmingly, tholl loll, loll, / Keep your Eyes languiſhing, tholl loll, loll, […]

   1719, T[homas] d’Urfey, “A Song”, in Wit and Mirthː Or Pills to Purge Melancholy; being a Collection of the Best Merry Ballads and Songs, Old and New. […], volume II, London: Printed by W. Pearson, for J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 171

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   By the angels who tear forth the ſouls of ſome with violence; and by thoſe who draw forth the ſouls of others with gentleneſs; by thoſe who glide ſwimmingly through the air with the commands of God; […]: on a certain day, the diſturbing blaſt of the trumpet ſhall diſturb the univerſe; and the ſubſequent blaſt ſhall follow it.

   1734, “Chapter LXXIX. Intituled, Those Who Tear forth; Revealed at Mecca.”, in George Sale, transl., The Koran, Commonly Called The Alcoran of Mohammed, Translated into English Immediately from the Original Arabic; […], London: […] C. Ackers […], for J. Wilcox […], →OCLC, page 479

   The memorable exploit of the noble Secretary in rescuing his friend's dog from merciless winds and waters, deserves to be recorded in letters of gold— […] [W]hen, shortly afterwards, he jumped into the water for this heroic purpose, it was said, that a person who went on so swimmingly, could never get Down, even in the water.

   1807, Horatius [pseudonym; Horace Twiss], St. Stephen’s Chapel: A Satirical Poem, London: Printed for James Ridgway, […], by J. B. Bell, […], →OCLC, footnote, pages 15–16

   After drawing a correct outline, wash a little "indigo" or "ultramarine" faintly and swimmingly upon the forehead, between the eyes and corners of the mouth;— […]

   1833, Henry Harrison, “Miniature-painting”, in Instructions for the Mixture of Water-colours, Adapted to the Various Styles of Miniature Painting; and also to Landscape, Flower, and Fruit Painting. […], 3rd edition, London: J. Souter, […], →OCLC, pages 8–9

2. figurativelyinformalIn a very favorable manner; without difficulty; agreeably, successfully.

   […] I'faith; how ſwimmingly would this pretty little / Ambling Filly carry a man of my body!

   1668, George Etherege, She Wou’d if She Cou’d, a Comedy. […], London: […] [John Macocke] for H[enry] Herringman, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene iii, page 48

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   The secretary would not go so far to satisfy the whigs in the house of commons; but there all went swimmingly.

   1712 June 10, Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter XLVII. London, May 31, 1712 [Julian calendar].”, in Thomas Sheridan, compiler, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dublin. […] in Nineteen Volumes, new edition, volume XV, London: Printed for J[oseph] Johnson, [et al.], published 1801, →OCLC, page 305

   [T]he negociation goes on swimmingly—inasmuch as there is no prospect of its ever coming to a close. Nothing is lost by these delays and obstacles but time; and in a negociation, according to the theory I have exposed, all time lost, is in reality so much time gained—with what delightful paradoxes, does the modern arcana of political economy abound!

   1809, Diedrich Knickerbocker [pseudonym; Washington Irving], chapter III, in A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: Inskeep & Bradford, […], →OCLC, book V, page 24

   She had a turn for narrative, I for analysis; she liked to inform, I to question; so we got on swimmingly together, deriving much entertainment, if not much improvement, from our mutual intercourse.

   1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter IX, in Jane Eyre. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 141

   Things went swimmingly with George. He had weathered a crisis, and was now full of confidence, as well as the show of it.

   1888, George MacDonald, “The Gambler and the Collector”, in The Elect Lady, London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. […], →OCLC, page 211

   [A]t any rate I got along swimmingly. The travelling men, after a moment or two of embarrassed diffidence, treated me quite as one of themselves and asked me about my "line" with interest.

   1917, Christopher Morley, chapter 12, in Parnassus on Wheels, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, →OCLC, pages 153–154

   Synonyms: like clockwork, smoothly, without a hitch