swish-the vb.-stem used attrib. or advb.: swish-broom, a short-handled broom, usually made of twigs, for swishing water, etc.; swish-cane, a light slender cane such as can be swished; so swish-whip; swish cutn.(seequot. 1725); adj.(seequot. 1831); swish-tail, † (a) slang, a pheasant; (b) a long flowing tail which can be swished about (earlier switch tail); also attrib.1891N. Gould Double Event 151 A light *swish cane he twirled about.1725Fam.Dict. II. 5 Y 4/2 [A horse] that..neither cuts under his Knee, which is call'd the *Swish Cut, nor crosses, nor claps one Foot on another.1831Lincoln Herald 11 Feb. 1 The tail of the coat swish cut (cut off towards a point).1796Grose's Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), *Swish Tail, a pheasant; so called by the persons who sell game for the poachers.1826Sporting Mag. XVIII. 431 [He] had four swishtail greys, but not of the right cut.1844J. T. J. Hewlett Parsons & W. iii, His swish tail ain't long enough.1845J. T. Smith Bk. for Rainy Day 93 He..carried a *swish-whip when he walked.