The customer is swiping her card.

[vil]

Dear teachers,

There is a verb in the following sentence which drew my attention:

The customer is swiping her card.

In my natural language this make no sense at all.

I know that “swipe (v) = to pass (a swipe card) through an electronic reader” but at the same time I know that “swipe (v) = to make a sweeping stroke, to strike with a swiping motion” and “swipe (v) = to take (another's property) without permission”. Which one is more authentic? The former or latter? Where is the connection between sweeping stroke, pilferage and payment?

On the other hand I know that “wipe (v) = to completely erase data from memory or the hard disk” and “wipe (n) = a digital video effect that places one image over another”. I know also that the classic “wipe” is a scene transition where the next scene slides horizontally or vertically over the current one.

Would you be kind enough explain to me the origin of the word in question? I take an keen interest first of all about its meaning at that practical example.

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Regards.

V.

[Tdol]

If you swipe something to steal it, you grab or snatch it- not stealthily normally, so the motion is related. It also ties up neatly when they swipe your card through a 'Lebanese Loop' and swipe the contents.

[vil]

Hi Tdol,

Thank you for your not verbous but in return for it many-sided and exhaustive explanation.

Regards.

V.