Meaning

noun United States meat-packer who began the use of refrigerated railroad cars (1839-1903)

noun an English satirist born in Ireland (1667-1745)

noun a small bird that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight

originFrom Middle English swift, from Old English swift (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Germanic *swiftaz (“swift; quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)weyp- (“to twist; wind around”). Cognate with Icelandic svipta (“to pull quickly”), Old English swīfan (“to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene”). More at swivel.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0