a swift hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a swift hour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a period of time that feels quick or passes quickly, often in a positive context. Example: "As we engaged in deep conversation, it felt like a swift hour had passed before we knew it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And each episode was edited into a swift hour.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Given that the Booker is at heart a speed-reading contest for judges – 100-odd novels to read in a couple of months – it is not surprising that those poor unfortunates faced with the task favour books that can be tackled in a few swift hours.

The Guardian - Opinion

Three hours after his Friendship 7 capsule was plucked from the Atlantic, we took off from Union Station aboard the Pennsylvania Railroad's overnight express, the Broadway Limited; a swift 15 hours and 30 minutes to New York.

The New York Times

At its best the series, a swift half-hour at a time, distilled and defanged the world it represented, giving HBO subscribers a fantasy picture of New York they could both aspire and relate to.

The New York Times

Even the massage could not stop the unraveling, and in a swift, 2-hour, 15-minute match complete with two racket tosses, Janowicz had been ousted by qualifier Máximo González of Argentina, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

The New York Times - Sports

Created in rich but muted colors, as befits a city that has to deal with the pollution aftereffects of all that steam power, "April's" Paris features not one but twin Eiffel Towers and intricately imagined machines like a cable car that can go from Paris to Berlin in a swift 82 hours.

Los Angeles Times

Flecha finished in 3 hours 29 minutes 33 seconds, a swift 43.9 kilometers an hour (26 m.p.h).

The New York Times - Sports

On Wednesday, China unveiled a list of 106 U.S. goods - from soybeans and whiskey to frozen beef and aircraft - targeted for tariffs, in a swift retaliatory move only hours after the Trump administration proposed duties on some 1,300 Chinese industrial, technology, transport and medical products.

Huffington Post

McCartan, who replaced Seamus Conneely, levelled for Accrington after a swift counter-attack on the hour mark.

BBC

(IMAGES AND VIDEO BELOW.) The gas cloud, which is several times more massive than Earth and is currently moving at a swift 4.9 million miles per hour, will begin to get sucked in when it passes the black hole within a distance of about 25 billion miles.

Huffington Post

Thousands of students and teachers were trapped for hours by a swift lockdown as fears swept the campus of a repeat of the earlier tragedy.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a swift hour" to describe a period of time that feels unexpectedly short, especially when engaged in an enjoyable or engaging activity.

Common error

Avoid using "a swift hour" in contexts where a longer duration is expected or desired, as it emphasizes brevity and might imply dissatisfaction if time was intended to be savored.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a swift hour" functions as a descriptor, modifying the noun "hour" to indicate that it passed quickly. Ludwig confirms that it's usable in written English. The adjective "swift" emphasizes the speed or brevity of the time period.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"A swift hour" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, as confirmed by Ludwig. It describes an hour that passes quickly, often due to engaging activities or events. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it carries a neutral tone suitable for various writing styles. While "a quick hour" might be more common, "a swift hour" adds a touch of elegance. Remember to use this phrase when you want to emphasize the brevity of a time period, but avoid it if you're describing a situation where time should ideally be savored. Ultimately, the choice between "a swift hour" and its alternatives depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fleeting hour

Focuses on the transient nature of the hour, emphasizing its briefness.

a quick hour

Highlights the speed with which the hour passes.

a rapid hour

Similar to 'quick', but may suggest a more intense or noticeable speed.

a brief hour

Emphasizes the short duration of the hour.

a fast hour

Implies the hour moved by at a high velocity.

a momentary hour

Suggests the hour felt like a mere moment.

an ephemeral hour

More formal, highlighting the transient and vanishing quality of the hour.

a whirlwind hour

Implies the hour was filled with activity and passed by quickly.

a zippy hour

Informal, emphasizing the liveliness and quickness of the hour.

a concise hour

Highlights the efficiency or lack of wasted time during the hour.

FAQs

How can I use "a swift hour" in a sentence?

You can use "a swift hour" to describe a short or quickly passing period of time. For example, "The meeting felt like "a swift hour", as we efficiently addressed all the key points."

What can I say instead of "a swift hour"?

You can use alternatives like "a fleeting hour", "a quick hour", or "a brief hour" depending on the context and the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more common to say "a swift hour" or "a quick hour"?

While both phrases are grammatically correct, "a quick hour" might be more frequently used in contemporary English. However, ""a swift hour"" adds a slightly more elegant or literary feel.

What's the difference between "a swift hour" and "a swift moment"?

"A swift hour" refers to a period of sixty minutes that passes quickly, while "a swift moment" refers to a very short, indefinite period of time that feels instantaneous. The key difference is the duration being described.