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Discussion Groups / English Usage / April 2007Drop by vs Swing by
Any difference, thx! > Any difference, thx! Please put all of your inquiry in your post. Not all participants see your subject line. (I did, so I'll answer.) To my ear, "drop by" implies stopping somewhere to visit for a while. "Swing by" implies going somewhere and stopping somewhere briefly. So "drop by" tends to emphasize staying, and "swing by" tends to emphasize passing through and leaving. I would repeat that that's how I understand them. I know of no more formal distinction.  SignatureBob Lieblich Dropping by AEU >>Any difference, thx! > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > emphasize passing through and leaving. I would repeat that that's how > I understand them. I know of no more formal distinction. I've used 'swing by' to mean a stop someplace that was on the way, or rather, not far out of the way, of my original route. "Drop by" is making a special trip, going just there. JOE [snip] > > To my ear, "drop by" implies stopping somewhere to visit for a while. > > "Swing by" implies going somewhere and stopping somewhere briefly. So [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > rather, not far out of the way, of my original route. "Drop by" is > making a special trip, going just there. I suspect there are as many answers to this question as there are people to answer it. Both are informal usages for which there is, therefore, no formal definition. To me, "drop by" and "swing by" both suggest a short visit, but "drop by" suggests a short journey or a short detour from the route of a frequently-made longer journey. I'll drop by on my way home from work some day next week. "Swing by" suggests to me a wide sweeping arc, either a significant detour from a longer journey or a port of call on a longer trip made especially to visit several locations. There's also a suggestion of freedom of movement -- one wouldn't "swing by" a place that was inaccessible or noted for (say) slow and crowded roads (except, perhaps, ironically). Cheers, Daniel. >[snip] >> > To my ear, "drop by" implies stopping somewhere to visit for a while. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >-- one wouldn't "swing by" a place that was inaccessible or noted for (say) >slow and crowded roads (except, perhaps, ironically). Hmmm. This one I had to give some serious thought to, as I use both, but have never considered why I choose the one I do at any time. But there is a pattern. Both phrases indicate an element of non-forwarning; the time of appearance of the person doing the dropping or swinging is not established beforehand, or is only vaguely established. "Drop by anytime," "drop by tomorrow," "swing by when you get the chance," "I'll swing by the next time I'm out," and so on. Also, "drop by" carries an implication of a visit of some indeterminate duration. "Swing by" implies either a very brief visit, or no visiting time at all. So, I'll "drop by" to see, hear, or do something ("Drop by for a cup of coffee, and you can see the wedding photos," "I'll drop by when I get a chance and bring your DVD back.") but "swing by" when I have no intention of staying: "Swing by to get the DVD -- I'll leave it in between the doors." "I know you're busy, but can I swing by tomorrow and get my wrench back?" SignaturePosted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com |
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