different between swanky vs swanny

English

Etymology

swank +? -y

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æ?ki

Adjective

swanky (comparative swankier, superlative swankiest)

1. (informal) Rather posh, elegant, ritzy.
   • 1930, Frank Richards, The Magnet, Tale-Bearer in Chief

     His manner never had been modest or retiring. Now it was unmistakably swanky; he was putting on side to an extent that made fellows who observed him smile and shrug their shoulders.

Synonyms

• swank
• swankish

Translations

Noun

swanky (countable and uncountable, plural swankies)

1. Alternative form of swankie

English

Etymology 1

swan +? -y

Adjective

swanny (comparative swannier, superlative swanniest)

1. Resembling or characteristic of a swan.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa

     a swanny glossiness of the neck

References

• swanny in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Etymology 2

From “(I) shall warrant ye”; later re-interpreted as a minced oath of swear. Compare swan.

Verb

swanny

1. Alternative form of swan (“declare, swear”)
   • 1843, Ann Sophia Stephens, High Life in New York, page 7

     I swanny if I ever felt so in my life ! I was so anxious about that long letter that I sent to them to get printed for you, that I was dreadful loth to go in, and eenamost made up my mind to turn about and make tracks for the sloop agin !

   • 1913, Alice B. Emerson, Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp, Start Classics ?ISBN

     I swanny! but that was a warm time for me, Miss—it sure was. There was that ol' she b'ar with her mouth as wide open as a church door or, so it looked to Jerry Todd.

   • 2004, Ann Roscopf Allen, A Serpent Cherished, iUniverse ?ISBN, page 172

     Here I was, with Miss Marie looking at me, expecting me to say what she wanted me to say, and I knew the Good Lord was looking down on me, too, expecting me to tell the truth. I swanny, I didn't know what to do.