The phrase "swots up" is a colloquialism used in British English to mean someone studying or revising diligently. The IPA transcription for "swots up" is /swɒts/ - /ʌp/. The first part, "swots," is a variant of "swot," which means to study intensively or learn by heart. The second part, "up," is added to indicate the act of intensifying this study or revision. While this phrase may seem odd to non-British English speakers, it is commonly used in British education circles.
The word "swots up" is primarily a British colloquial expression that means to study or revise intensively. However, it is important to note that "swots up" is actually a phrasal verb derived from the noun "swot".
The noun "swot" dates back to the early 19th century in British English and originally referred to a person who studied diligently or a hardworking student. The word "swot" is believed to have originated from the dialectal term "swat" meaning "to sweat", indicating the strenuous effort put into studying.
Over time, this noun "swot" transitioned into a verb, thus forming the phrasal verb "swots up" or "swotting up". It is commonly used to describe the act of engaging in concentrated and diligent academic work or revision.