Chiefly Sc. Also 4–6, 9 swak, 5 swake, 9 swauk. [Echoic. Cf. thwack, whack.] A hard blow; a whack, bang. Also, a violent dash or impetus.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 643. The king sic swak him gaiff, That he the hede till harnys claif.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Petrus), 586. He tuk sic a swak, þat harnise, and sched, & body, all fruschit in peciss.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xii. 1506. Withe a swak þar of þis suerde … abuf þe fut He straik þe Lyndissay to þe bane.
c. 1480. Henryson, Mor. Fab., Fox, Wolf & Cadger, xx. He hint him be the heillis, And with ane swak he swang him on the creillis.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. iii. 22. The jaw of the watter brak, And in ane heip come on thame with ane swak. Ibid., V. viii. 10. Now, hand to hand, the dint lichtis with a swak.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 511. Sum time rasand this traitour … hie in the aire, and leit him fall doun, with ane swak.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxiv. The fell auld lord took the whig such a swauk wi’ his broadsword that he made twa pieces o’ his head.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 205. There were sic gouffs, and youffs, and swaks.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 202. A small dog has less command over the sheep than a large one, which comes round with a heavy swack.
