# swig

> English word · Verb · IPA /swɪɡ/ · frequency rank #46,803

## Definitions
1. To drink (usually by gulping or in a greedy or unrefined manner); to quaff.
2. To suck.
3. To take up the last bit of slack in rigging by taking a single turn around a cleat, then hauling on the line above and below the cleat while keeping tension on the line.

## Etymology
Unknown, mid 16th c. Perhaps connected with Old English swelgan (“to swallow”).

## Easily confused with
- **swim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swim)
- **swot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swot)
- **swing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swing)
- **Swiss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swiss)
- **swipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swipe)
- **swung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swung)
- **swine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swine)
- **swirl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swirl)
- **Swims** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swims)
- **swish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swish)
- **swings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swings)
- **SI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/si-vs-swig)
- **SW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sw-vs-swig)
- **SG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sg-vs-swig)
- **six** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/six-vs-swig)
- **sir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sir-vs-swig)
- **sit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sit-vs-swig)
- **sin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sin-vs-swig)
- **ski** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ski-vs-swig)
- **SCI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sci-vs-swig)

## Common misspellings (6)
`siwg`, `sswig`, `swgi`, `swigg`, `swwig`, `wsig`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/swig