- swan
- O.E. swan, from P.Gmc. *swanaz (cf. O.S. swan, O.N. svanr, M.Du. swane, Du. zwaan, O.H.G. swan, Ger. Schwan), probably lit. "the singing bird," from PIE base *swon-/*swen- "to sing, make sound" (see sound (n.1)); thus related to O.E. geswin "melody, song" and swinsian "to make melody." In classical mythology, sacred to Apollo and to Venus. The singing of swans before death was alluded to by Chaucer (late 14c.), but swan-song (1831) is a translation of Ger. Schwanengesang. A black swan was proverbial for "something extremely rare or non-existent" (late 14c.), after Juvenal ["Sat." vi. 164]. Swan dive is recorded from 1898.
- cygnet
- 1400, from Anglo-Fr., dim. of O.Fr. cigne "swan," from L. cygnus, from Gk. kyknos.
- swain
- c.1150, "young man attendant upon a knight," from O.N. sveinn "boy, servant, attendant," from P.Gmc. *swainaz "attendant, servant," prop. “one's own (man),” from PIE *swoi-no-, from base *swe- "oneself, alone, apart" (see idiom). Cognate with O.E. swan "shepherd, swineherd," O.S. swen, O.H.G. swein. Meaning "country or farm laborer" is from 1579; that of "lover, wooer" (in pastoral poetry) is from 1585.
- Deneb
- 1867, bright star in the tail of the constellation Cygnus the Swan, from Arabic Al Dhanab al Dajajah "the Hen's Tail."
- alb
- O.E. albe, from L.L. alba (in tunica alba or vestis alba "white vestment"), fem. of albus "white," from PIE base *albho- "white" (cf. Gk. alphos "white leprosy," alphiton "barley meal;" O.H.G. albig, O.E. elfet "swan," lit. "the white bird;" O.C.S., Rus. lebedi, Pol. labedz "swan").
- goose
- "a large waterfowl proverbially noted, I know not why, for foolishness" [Johnson], O.E. gos, from P.Gmc. *gans- "goose" (cf. O.Fris. gos, O.N. gas, O.H.G. gans, Ger. Gans "goose"), from PIE *ghans- (cf. Skt. hamsah, masc., hansi, fem., "goose swan;" Gk. khen; L. anser; Pol. ges "goose;" Lith. zasis "goose;" O.Ir. geiss "swan"), probably imitative of its honking. Sp. ganso "goose" is from a Gmc. source. Loss of "n" sound is normal before "s." Plural form geese is an example of i-mutation. Meaning "simpleton" is from 1547. The verbal meaning "jab in the rear" (c.1880) is possibly from resemblance of the upturned thumb to a goose's beak. To cook one's goose first attested 1845, of unknown origin; attempts to connect it to Swedish history and Gk. fables have been unconvincing. Goose egg "zero" first attested 1866 in baseball slang. Goose bumps (1933) was earlier goose flesh (c.1810) and goose skin (1785). The goose that laid the golden egg is from Aesop. Goose step (1806) originally was a military drill to teach balance; "to stand on each leg alternately and swing the other back and forth" (which, presumably, reminded someone of a goose's way of walking); in reference to "marching without bending the knees" (as in Nazi military reviews) it apparently is first recorded 1916.
- sound (n.1)
- "noise," c.1280, soun, from O.Fr. son, from L. sonus "sound," from PIE *swonos, from base *swen- "to sound" (cf. Skt. svanati "it sounds," svanah "sound, tone;" L. sonare "to sound;" O.Ir. senim "the playing of an instrument;" O.E. geswin "music, song," swinsian "to sing;" O.N. svanr, O.E. swan "swan," prop. "the sounding bird"). The final -d was established c.1350-1550 as part of a tendency to add -d- after -n-. The verb is attested from c.1300, from L. sonare, from sonus. First record of sound barrier is from 1939. Soundtrack is from 1929; sound check is from 1977; sound effects is 1909, originally live accompaniments to silent films.
"The experts of Victor ... will ... arrange for the synchronized orchestration and sound effects for this picture, in which airplane battles will have an important part." ["Exhibitor's Herald & Moving Picture World," April 28, 1928]
- auk
- 1670s, from O.N. alka originally imitative of a water-bird cry (cf. L. olor "swan," Gk. elea "marsh bird").