From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Swan \Swan\ (sw[o^]n), n. [AS. swan; akin to D. zwaan, OHG.
swan, G. schwan, Icel. svanr, Sw. svan, Dan. svane; and
perhaps to E. sound something audible.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of large aquatic birds
belonging to {Cygnus}, {Olor}, and allied genera of the
subfamily {Cygninae}. They have a large and strong beak
and a long neck, and are noted for their graceful
movements when swimming. Most of the northern species are
white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing a
melodious song, especially at the time of its death.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The European white, or mute, swan ({Cygnus gibbus}),
which is most commonly domesticated, bends its neck in
an S-shaped curve. The whistling, or trumpeting, swans
of the genus {Olor} do not bend the neck in an S-shaped
curve, and are noted for their loud and sonorous cry,
due to complex convolutions of the windpipe. To this
genus belong the European whooper, or whistling swan
({Olor cygnus}), the American whistling swan ({Olor
Columbianus}), and the trumpeter swan ({Olor
buccinator}). The Australian black swan ({Chenopis
atrata}) is dull black with white on the wings, and has
the bill carmine, crossed with a white band. It is a
very graceful species and is often domesticated. The
South American black-necked swan ({Sthenelides
melancorypha}) is a very beautiful and graceful
species, entirely white, except the head and neck,
which are dark velvety seal-brown. Its bill has a
double bright rose-colored knob.
[1913 Webster]
2. Fig.: An appellation for a sweet singer, or a poet noted
for grace and melody; as Shakespeare is called the swan of
Avon.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Astron.) The constellation Cygnus.
[1913 Webster]
{Swan goose} (Zool.), a bird of India ({Cygnopsis cygnoides})
resembling both the swan and the goose.
{Swan shot}, a large size of shot used in fowling.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
swan
n 1: stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and
usually white plumage as adult
v 1: to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true; "Before
God I swear I am innocent" [syn: {affirm}, {verify},
{assert}, {avow}, {aver}, {swan}, {swear}]
2: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in
search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods";
"roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam
across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the
next"; "They rolled from town to town" [syn: {roll},
{wander}, {swan}, {stray}, {tramp}, {roam}, {cast}, {ramble},
{rove}, {range}, {drift}, {vagabond}]
3: sweep majestically; "Airplanes were swanning over the
mountains"
From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2013) [vera]:
SWAN
Sun Wide Area Network (Sun, WAN)
From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2013) [vera]:
SWAN
Secure WAN (RSA), "S/WAN"
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