English

Adverb

swimmingly ‎(comparative more swimmingly, superlative most swimmingly)

1. (informal) In a very favorable manner; agreeably; without difficulty; successfully.
   • 1712, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella (first published 1766), ch. 5, Letter 47:

     The Secretary would not go so far to satisfy the Whigs in the House of Commons; but there all went swimmingly.

   • 1809, Washington Irving, Knickerbocker's History of New York, ch. 39:

     [T]he negotiation goes on swimmingly, inasmuch as there is no prospect of its ever coming to a close. Nothing is lost by these delays and obstacles but time; and in a negotiation, according to the theory I have exposed, all time lost is in reality so much time gained; with what delightful paradoxes does modern political economy abound!

   • 1847, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, ch. 9:

     [W]e got on swimmingly together, deriving much entertainment, if not much improvement, from our mutual intercourse.

   • 1888, George MacDonald, The Elect Lady, ch. 22:

     Things went swimmingly with George. He had weathered a crisis, and was now full of confidence.

   • 1917, Christopher Morley, Parnassus on Wheels, ch. 12:

     I got along swimmingly. The travelling men, after a moment or two of embarrassed diffidence, treated me quite as one of themselves.

   • 2001 July 2, Daniel Kadlec, "Finally, Help With Your 401(k)," Time:

     If all goes swimmingly, the bill could reach the President's desk by year end.

References

• swimmingly at OneLook Dictionary Search