24 Words That Have A Different Meaning When You're A Swimmer

You've got a totally weird voca-pool-ary.

1. "Pool"

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What it normally means: A man-made body of water used for swimming, exercise, and leisure.

What it means to swimmers: Your second home.

2. "Butterfly"

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What it normally means: A type of insect, usually very pretty.

What it means to swimmers: Quite possibly the worst word your coach can ever say to you.

3. "Morning"

What it normally means: The beginning of the day.

What it means to swimmers: The time of day where you roll out of bed to go to practice.

4. "Kicking"

What it normally means: Moving your leg and foot to make contact with something.

What it means to swimmers: That thing you always forget to do and your coach yells at you for "not making white water."

5. "Snacking"

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What it normally means: Food consumed in between meals.

What it means to swimmers: Basically, what you're doing when you're not swimming or sleeping.

6. "Goggles"

What it normally means: An accessory you wear to cover your eyes either while swimming or in science class.

What it means to swimmers: The reason you pray. "PLZ GOD DON'T LEAK DURING MY BIG RACE!!!"

7. "Swimsuit"

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What it normally means: What you wear to the beach or the pool during the summer.

What it means to swimmers: Your uniform that of course leaves VERY little to the imagination no matter the season but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ya know?

8. "IM"

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What it normally means: Instant messaging.

What it means to swimmers: Basically a kamikaze mission.

9. "Chlorine"

What it normally means: An element with the atomic number 17.

What it means to swimmers: Basically, your perfume.

10. "Breaststroke"

What it normally means: Get your mind out of the gutter.

What it means to swimmers: The stroke that takes FOREVER to swim just a 100, but at least you get to breathe every stroke.

11. "Breathing"

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What it normally means: Inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.

What it means to swimmers: The thing that your coach is always yelling at you for doing too much.

12. "Sprint"

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What it normally means: To go really fast.

What it means to swimmers: Your favorite type of practices.

13. "Distance"

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What it normally means: The measurement of how far away something is.

What it means to swimmers: THE DREADED 1650/1500.

14. "Meet"

What it normally means: To arrange to spend time with someone.

What it means to swimmers: Where you spend your weekends.

15. "Freestyle"

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What it normally means: A type of rap music.

What it means to swimmers: A swim stroke that you have swum COUNTLESS laps.

16. "Meters"

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What it normally means: A unit of measurement.

What it means to swimmers: The pool setup that makes you say "FML."

17. "Hair"

What it normally means: What grows out of your head (and other parts of your body too).

What it means to swimmers: Something that changes permanently once you become a swimmer. :(

18. "Cap"

What it normally means: A type of hat you wear on your head.

What it means to swimmers: That thing you really, really hope doesn't break right before a big race.

19. "Teammates"

What it normally means: The other members of a team that you are on.

What it means to swimmers: Your best friends with whom you spend a lot of time together practically naked.

20. "Taper"

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What it normally means: When something gradually goes from big to small in size.

What it means to swimmers: Your favorite (pre-meet) time of year.

21. "Sharks & Minnows"

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What it normally means: Two types of fish.

What it means to swimmers: THE BEST WAY TO GET OUT OF PRACTICE.

22. "Shave"

What it normally means: The act of removing body hair with a razor.

What it means to swimmers: If you are a female swimmer, the reason you have to wear pants. If you're a male swimmer, that thing you have to explain to your non-swimmer friends.

23. "Race"

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What it normally means: A competition to see who can go from Point A to Point B fastest.

What it means to swimmers: The reason you swim.

24. "Swimming"

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What it normally means: A racing sport conducted in a pool or other body of water.

What it means to swimmers: It's not a sport. It's your life.