advb. phr. Forms: 4–5 aswoune, aswounne, aswowne, a swowen, a swoun(e, a swown(e, 5 a-swoone, 7– aswoon, a-swoon. [Also written a swoune, expanded on swoune, and most commonly from 1325 to 1500 in swoune, in swowne, after 1500 in a swown(e, sown(e, swoon; as if f. A prep.1 + SWOON sb. But as this sb. does not otherwise appear in early use, aswowne was perhaps by mistaken analogy for aswown (cf. adowne, adown), awowen = iswowen, OE. ʓeswóʓen; in which case aswoon and ASWOUGH are of identical origin: see the latter, and SWOON sb.]
In a swoon or faint. To fall aswoon: to faint away.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqrs. T., 466. And fil to grounde anon And lith aswowne [v.r. a swounne, a swowne, on swoune], deed and lyk a stoon.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1804. A-swoone I felle, bothe deed & pale.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 217/3. Yf the moder be a swowne of the payne.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 408. Mony fell in swoun.
1637. Rutherford, Lett., 110 (1862), I. 276. My faith was fallen aswoon and Christ but held up a swooning man’s head.
1860. S. Dobell, in Macm. Mag., Aug., 326. A-swoon With fear.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., III. VIII. iii. 15. Wilhelmina, faint, fasting, sleepless all night, fairly falls aswoon.
