Now dial. Forms: 3 swinacie, 4 swynacy; 4–5 squynacy (4 -ase), 4 -acie, 5 -ye, sqwynacye, skwynecy; 5 squinaci, -acye, -aseye, 5, 7 squinacie, -asie, 7, 9 squinacy. [var. of SQUINANCY, by early elision of the second n.] = SQUINSY.

1

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1188. His wif and oðere birðe beren, ða ðe swinacie gan him nunmor deren.

2

c. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 2999. Som for glotoni sal haf þare, Als þe swynacy, þat greves ful sare.

3

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 335. Demoscenes come forþ wiþ wolle aboute his nekke, and seide þat he hadde the squynacy.

4

c. 1425.  St. Mary of Oignies, II. iii. in Anglia, VIII. 157. A ful perlyous yuel, þat is aposteme of þe þroot, þat is callid þe squynacy.

5

c. 1450.  M. E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich), 215. For þe squinaseye.

6

1483.  Cath. Angl., 357/2. Þe Squynacy, squinancia, guttura.

7

1615.  H. Crooke, Body of Man, 766. These inward muscles being inflamed the most acute and sharpe Squinasie is ingendred.

8

1629.  Z. Boyd, Balm of Gilead, 70. There he will set down a squinacie, crowels, or boils.

9

1670.  T. Brooks, Wks. (1867), VI. 426. That one man dies … of an apoplexy in the head,… one of a squinacy in the throat.

10

1880.  Antrim & Down Gloss., 98. Squinacy, a quinsy.

11

a. 1904.  in Eng. Dial. Dict.

12