swinge, to singe. Spenser, F. Q. i. 11. 26. In common prov. use in Ireland, and in various parts of England (EDD.).
swinge-buckler, a swash-buckler. 2 Hen. IV, iii. 2. 24.
swink, to toil, labour. Spenser, F. Q. ii. 7. 8, 36, 58 swinkt, pp., wearied with toil, ‘The swinkt hedger’, Milton, Comus, 293; labour, toil, ‘How great sport they gaynen with little swincke’, Spenser, Shep. Kal., May, 36; Sidney, Arcadia, p. 398 (Nares). ‘To swink’, to toil, work hard, is in use in Galloway, ‘Lord, but he swankit it that day!’ (EDD.). ME. swinken, to toil, swink, toil (Chaucer). OE. swincan.
swithe, quickly. Gammer Gurton’s Needle, ii. 47 (Nares); swithe and tite, quickly and at once, id., i. 4. 13. In common use in Scotland, see EDD. (s.v. Swith). ME. swythe, quickly, immediately (Chaucer, C. T. C. 796, and B. 637). OE. swīðe, strongly. See [tit].
Switzer, one of a Swiss mercenary guard. Webster, White Devil (Brachiano), ed. Dyce, p. 12; Hamlet, iv. 5. 97; Switzers, inhabitants of Switzerland, Bacon, Essay 14.
swoop, a sweeping movement, rush. Macbeth, iv. 3. 219; Webster, White Devil (beginning); ed. Dyce, p. 5. Swoopstake (old edd. soopstake), drawing the whole stake at once, indiscriminately, Hamlet, iv. 5. 141.
swough, a heavy murmuring sound. Morte Arthur, leaf 83. 20; bk. v, c. 4. Cp. the prov. words, ‘swow’ and ‘sough’ in EDD. ME. swowyn, to make a murmuring sound (Prompt.). OE. swōgan, to make a noise like the wind.
swound, to ‘swoon’. Fletcher, Night-Walker, i. 4. 8; Middleton, Mayor of Queenb. v. 1 (Oliver); a swoon, Dryden, Palamon, i. 537; iii. 982. In gen. prov. use in England and Scotland (EDD.). See [sowne] (2).
syke, such. B. Jonson, Sad Sheph. ii. 1 (Maud.). A north-country form, see EDD. (s.v. Such). ME. sike (Wars Alex. 126) OE. swilc (swylc). See Dict. M. and S. (s.v. Swyche).
symarr, a loose robe for a lady: Dryden, Flower and Leaf, 341. See [cymar].