Also 4 zuelȝing, swolwyng, 5 swelluing, swelwyng(e, swellyng(e. [f. SWALLOW v. + -ING1.]
I. The action of the verb SWALLOW.
1. Deglutition; † devouring: see SWALLOW v. 1.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 55. Þe deuowring or swelluing of alle bestis of þe feld.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 482/2. Swelwyynge of mete (K., P. swellynge of mete and drynke), degluticio.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 903. The swalowyng, lauailer.
1725. Lond. Gaz., No. 6349/3. His Swallowing is easier.
1780. Mirror, No. 73. The swallowing of much strong liquor produces a temporary madness.
1803. Med. Jrnl., IX. 293. The difficulty of swallowing, known by the name of Dysphagia.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 736. There is rarely any affection of swallowing.
attrib. 1881. Cable, Mme. Delphine, vi. 27. She … began a faltering speech, with a swallowing motion in the throat.
† b. Tasting, sense of taste: see SWALLOW v. 2.
1340. Ayenb., 91. Be zyȝþe, be hyerþe, be smellinge, be zuelȝynge, and be takynge.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 218. Þe iij. gate of þi pytt is tastyng or swelwyng.
2. fig. (also with up): see SWALLOW v. 4, 10 c.
1816. Coleridge, Lay Serm. (Bohn), 318. The oblivion and swallowing-up of self in an object dearer than self.
1830. Cobbett, Rur. Rides (1853), 604. Which exactions here are swallowed up by the aristocracy and their dependents; but which swallowings are imputed to every one bearing the name of parson.
II. † 3. A whirlpool: = SWALLOW sb.2 2. Obs.
Used like OE. pr. pple. swelʓend to render L. vorago.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 65. Þere beeþ many swolwynges and whirlynges of wateres by þe see brynkes. Ibid., II. 51. Woodnesse of swolwynge and of whirlynge water.
