- swap
- swap1 S3 swop [swɔp US swa:p] v BrE past tense and past participle swapped present participle swapping[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: swap 'to hit' (14-19 centuries), from the sound; from the practice of striking the hands together when agreeing a business deal]1.) [I and T]to give something to someone and get something in return= ↑exchange▪ Do you want to swap umbrellas?swap sth for sth▪ He swapped his watch for a box of cigars.swap sth with sb▪ The girls chatted and swapped clothes with each other.2.) [T]to tell information to someone and be given information in return= ↑exchange▪ We need to get together to swap ideas and information.▪ They sat in a corner and swapped gossip.3.) also swap over [T]to do the thing that someone else has been doing, and let them do the thing that you have been doing= ↑change▪ They decided to swap roles for the day.▪ You start on the windows and I'll do the walls, then we can swap over after an hour or so.swap sth with sb▪ She ended up swapping jobs with her secretary.4.) [T]to stop using or get rid of one thing and put or get another thing in its place▪ The driver announced that we would have to swap buses.swap sth for sth▪ She had swapped her long skirts for jeans and T shirts.▪ He swapped his London home for a cottage in Scotland.5.) also swap sth around [T]to move one thing and put another in its place▪ Someone had gone into the nursery and swapped all the babies around.swap sth with sth▪ Why don't we swap the TV with the bookcase?6.) swap placesBrE to let someone sit or stand in your place, so that you can have their place= ↑change places▪ Can we swap places, please?swap 2swap2 n informal1.) [usually singular]a situation in which you give something to someone and get another thing in return= ↑exchange▪ a fair swap▪ We can do a swap if you like.2.) a situation in which people each do the job that the other usually does
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.