The Many Uses of Swipe

The Many Uses of Swipe The Many Uses of â€Å"Swipe† The Many Uses of â€Å"Swipe† By Maeve Maddox Ben writes: I have noticed the changing in usage of words. When I was growing up â€Å"to swipe a card† (credit cards were not around then) meant to steal it and now you see the term â€Å"swipe the customers card.† No one’s quite sure where this word swipe originated. It’s kin to sweep and swoop. All three words suggest a wide sweeping motion. They can be used as nouns or as verbs. A batter takes a swipe at the ball. (noun) A waiter swipes a table with a towel. (verb) A hawk swoops down on a chicken. (verb) Macduff, learning of the murder of his family, cries: All? What, All my pretty Chickens, and their Damme, At one fell swoope?† (noun) A housewife sweeps the steps. (verb) An opera diva sweeps onto the stage in a long gown. (verb) A card player makes a clean sweep of all the stakes. (noun) The compound noun sweepstakes, meaning â€Å"prize won in a race or contest† entered the language in 1773. An earlier form of the word, swepestake existed in Middle English with the meaning â€Å"one who sweeps or wins all the stakes in a game.† King Henry VII of England had a ship with that name. The verb sideswipe, â€Å"to strike with a glancing blow,† dates from 1917. Its most common use is in speaking of vehicles: His mother was sideswiped by a driver in a green pickup truck. Swipe with the meaning of â€Å"to steal† is a latecomer, dating from 1889. This meaning is said to have originated as theatrical slang used of actors stealing jokes or stage routines from one another. Like Ben, I would have thought, growing up, that â€Å"to swipe a card† meant to steal it. That sense of swipe is still current. Swipe meaning â€Å"to run a credit card† came into use in the 1990s. In practice there’s probably not much chance of confusing the two meanings because context will make the difference clear: I swiped my credit card. The clerk swiped my credit card. Somebody swiped my credit card. Another popular use of swipe in the expression â€Å"to take a swipe at† with the meaning â€Å"to criticize† or â€Å"to make a verbal attack on† or even, perhaps, as in the Google quotation below, â€Å"to threaten†: Lindsey Graham Takes Another Swipe At Glenn Beck Google Takes Another Swipe at Newspapers And Magazines With Fast Flip The Vampire Diaries takes a swipe at Stephenie Meyers Twilight The New Yorker takes a swipe at  everyone Clearly swipe is a word we like to use in a variety of contexts. My only suggestion is that I’d avoid using swipe as a synonym for â€Å"to steal† in a serious context. It’s acceptable enough when used in a non-larcenous context among friends: Who swiped the last donut? He was drinking, so I swiped his car keys. Used of real crimes of theft, it becomes a euphemism to soften a vicious act. For example, this headline about the two juveniles who stole weapons from a gun cabinet and went on to murder five people and wound ten others: School shooters swiped guns from unlocked rack and these: Criminals swipe cables to cash in on soaring value of scrap metal the victim left his building, which is near 75th Street, the night before only to return at 10 am to discover his vintage basketball cards, valued at $2,000, had been swiped. I see no reason to avoid the stronger and more precise word steal in such contexts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a Sentence"Have" vs "Having" in Certain Expressions50 Synonyms for "Song"

Bridge at Remagen in World War II

Bridge at Remagen in World War II The capture of the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen occurred on March 7-8, 1945, during the closing stages of World War II  (1939-1945). In early 1945, American forces pressed towards the west bank of the Rhine River during Operation Lumberjack. In response, German forces were ordered to destroy the bridges over the river. As the lead elements of the US 9th Armored Division approached Remagen, they found that the Ludendorff Bridge over the river was still standing. In a sharp fight, American forces succeeded in securing the span. The capture of the bridge gave the Allies a foothold on the eastern bank of the river and opened Germany to invasion. Fast Facts: Bridge at Remagen Conflict: World War II  (1939-1945)Dates: March 7-8, 1945Armies Commanders:AlliesLieutenant General Courtney HodgesMajor General John W. LeonardBrigadier General William M. HogeCombat Command B, 9th Armored DivisionGermansGeneral Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und TrachGeneral Otto HitzfeldLXVII Corps A Surprise Find In March 1945, with the bulge caused by the German Ardennes offensive effectively reduced, the US 1st Army launched Operation Lumberjack. Designed to reach the west bank of the Rhine, US troops quickly advanced on the cities of Cologne, Bonn, and Remagen. Unable to halt the Allied offensive, German troops began falling back as the fortifications in the region were penetrated. Though a withdrawal over the Rhine would have been prudent to allow German forces to regroup, Hitler demanded that every foot of territory be contested and that counterattacks be launched to regain what had been lost. This demand led to confusion along the front which was worsened by a series of changes in command an unit areas of responsibility. Aware that the Rhine posed the last major geographic obstacle to Allied troops as fighting moved east, Hitler ordered the bridges over the river destroyed (Map). On the morning of March 7, lead elements of the 27th Armored Infantry Battalion, Combat Command B, US 9th Armored Division reached the heights overlooking the town of Remagen. Looking down at the Rhine, they were stunned to find that the Ludendorff Bridge was still standing. Built during World War I, the railroad bridge remained intact with German forces retreating across its span. Initially, officers in the 27th began calling for artillery to drop the bridge and trap German forces on the west bank. Unable to secure artillery support, the 27th continued to observe the bridge. When word of the bridges status reached Brigadier General William Hoge, commanding Combat Command B, he issued orders for the 27th to advance into Remagen with support from the 14th Tank Battalion. Racing to the River As American troops entered into the town, they found little meaningful resistance as German doctrine called for rear areas to be defended by Volkssturm militia. Moving ahead, they found no major obstacles other than a machine gun nest overlooking the town square.  Quickly eliminating this with fire from M26 Pershing tanks, American forces raced forward as they expected the bridge to be blown by the Germans before it could be captured. These thoughts were reinforced when prisoners indicated that it was scheduled to be demolished at 4:00 PM. Already 3:15 PM, the 27th charged ahead to secure the bridge. As elements of Company A, led by Lieutenant Karl Timmermann, moved onto the bridges approaches, the Germans, led by Captain Willi Bratge, blew a 30-foot crater in the roadway with the goal of slowing the American advance. Reacting swiftly, engineers using tank dozers began filling the hole. Possessing around 500 poorly-trained and equipped men and 500  Volkssturm, Bratge had desired to blow the bridge earlier but had been unable to secure permission. With the Americans approaching, the majority of his  Volkssturm melted away leaving his remaining men largely clustered on the east bank of the river. Ludendorff Bridge and Erpeler Ley tunnel at Erpel (eastern side of the Rhine) – First U.S. Army men and equipment pour across the Remagen Bridge; two knocked out jeeps in foreground. Germany, March 11, 1945.   National Archives and Records Administration Storming the Bridge As Timmerman and his men began pressing forward, Bratge attempted to destroy the bridge. A massive explosion rocked the span, lifting it from its foundations. When the smoke settled, the bridge remained standing, though it had suffered some damage. Though many of the charges had detonated, others had not due to the actions of two Polish conscripts who had tampered with the fuses. As Timmermans men charged onto the span, Lieutenant Hugh Mott and Sergeants Eugene Dorland and John Reynolds climbed under the bridge to begin cutting the wires leading to the remaining German demolition charges. Reaching the bridge towers on the west bank, platoons stormed inside overwhelming the defenders. Having taken these vantage points, they provided covering fire for Timmerman and his men as they fought across the span. The first American to reach the east bank was Sergeant Alexander A. Drabik. As more men arrived, they moved to clear the tunnel and cliffs near the bridges eastern approaches. Securing a perimeter, they were reinforced during the evening. Pushing men and tanks across the Rhine, Hoge was able to secure the bridgehead giving the Allies a foothold on the east bank. The Ludendorff Bridge on March 17, 1945, approximately four hours before its collapse. National Archives and Records Administration Aftermath Dubbed the Miracle of Remagen, the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge opened the way for Allied troops to drive into the heart of Germany. Over 8,000 men crossed the bridge in the first twenty-four hours after its capture as engineers frantically worked to repair the span. Infuriated by its capture, Hitler swiftly ordered the trial and execution of the five officers assigned to its defense and destruction. Only Bratge survived as he had been captured by American forces before he could be arrested. Desperate to destroy the bridge, the Germans conducted air raids, V-2 rocket attacks, and frogman assaults against it. In addition, German forces launched a massive counterattack against the bridgehead with no success. As the Germans were attempting to strike the bridge, the 51st and 291st Engineer Battalions built pontoon and treadway bridges adjacent to the span. On March 17th, the bridge suddenly collapsed killing 28 and wounding 93 American engineers. Though it was lost, a substantial bridgehead had been built up which was supported by the pontoon bridges. The capture of the Ludendorff Bridge, along with Operation Varsity later that month, removed the Rhine as an obstacle to the Allied advance.