Hypertext Webster Gateway: "swivel"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Swivel \Swiv"el\, n. [AS. sw[=i]fan to move quickly, to remove;
akin to Icel. sveifla to whirl, shake, sv[=i]fa to ramble, to
turn. See {Swoop}, and cf. {Swift} a reel, {Swift}, a.]
1. (Mech.) A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another
piece by a pin, in such a manner as to permit rotation
about the pin as an axis.
2. (Mil.) A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or
swivel; -- called also {swivel gun}. --Wilhelm.
{Swivel bridge}, a kind of drawbridge that turns round on a
vertical axis; a swing bridge.
{Swivel hook}, a hook connected with the iron strap of a
pulley block by a swivel joint, for readily taking the
turns out of a tackle.
{Swivel joint}, a joint, the two pieces composing which turn
round, with respect to each other, on a longitudinal pin
or axis, as in a chain, to prevent twisting.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Swivel \Swiv"el\, v. i.
To swing or turn, as on a pin or pivot.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
swivel
n : a coupling (as in a chain) that has one end that turns on a
headed pin
v : turn on a pivot [syn: {pivot}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.