SWAN

PRONUNCIATION: (swan)

MEANING: noun: 1. Any of various long-necked large waterbirds, usually in white plumage.
2. Someone or something of unusual beauty, grace, purity, etc.
verb intr.: 1. To move about in an idle, aimless way.
2. To declare or to swear.

ETYMOLOGY: For verb 2: From shortening of “I shall warrant” or “I swear on”.
For the rest: From Old English swan. Ultimately from the Indo-European root swen- (to sound), which also gave us sound, sonic, sonnet, sonata, and unison.
Earliest documented use: for noun: 700; for verb 1: 1893; for verb 2: 1823.
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SHWAN - an obsolete catalog of long-playing classical music records, usually 33 1/3 rpm

SWAR - blasphemed, in Ozark country

St. WAN - the fourth Gospel in Madrid, transcribed phonetically