Swill is a word for very low‑quality food or drink, and it can also mean leftover food waste mixed with liquid that is fed to pigs. It is also used as a verb meaning to drink something quickly in large amounts or to rinse something with plenty of water.

Core meaning

  • As a noun , “swill” often means:
    • Waste food and water given to pigs.
* Food or drink that tastes bad or is of poor quality, for example “This coffee is swill.”
  • As a verb , it can mean:
    • To drink a lot of something quickly, e.g. “They swilled beer all night.”
* To rinse or wash something by pouring plenty of water through or over it.

Everyday usage

  • In casual speech, calling something “swill” is a strong insult for food or drinks that seem disgusting or cheap.
  • In farming contexts, “swill” usually refers to a sloppy mix of kitchen scraps and water used as pig feed.

Nuances and tone

  • The word usually has a negative, slightly harsh tone, especially when describing human food or drink.
  • When used about animals (like pigs), it is more neutral and descriptive, tied to traditional feeding practices.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.