Also 7 swassing [f. SWASH v. + -ING2.]
1. Characterized by ostentation, or by showy or blustering behavior; swaggering; swashbuckling; dashing. (Cf. prec. 1.)
1556. Olde, Antichrist, 147. I speake not now of mytred bishoppes, and swashing abbottes.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 122. Weele haue a swashing and a marshall outside.
c. 1600. Day, Begg. Bednall Gr., IV. i. (1881), 77. The name and habit of some swashing Italian or French Noble-man.
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 181. By profession Souldiers, sufficiently swashing and brave.
1684. Otway, Atheist, IV. i. A blustering, roaring, swashing Shark.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, IV. iii. ¶ 4. With the swashing outside of a gay spark.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., iv. Lay aside your swashing look.
1885. Stevenson, Prince Otto, I. iv. The song went to a rough, swashing, popular air.
2. Applied to a particular stroke in fencing, perh. the ‘stramazon’; also of a weapon: Slashing with great force. In mod. use only in reminiscences of Shakespeare. (Cf. SWASH a.1 1, WASHING.)
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Philaster, V. iv. With this swashing blow,… I could hulk your Grace, and hang you up cross-leg’d.
c. 1615. Shaks.’s Rom. & Jul., I. i. 70 (Qo. 4). Gregorie, remember thy swashing [Qo. 2 & 3, Fo. washing] blowe.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., II. Wks. 1851, V. 70. The Britans had a certain skill with their broad swashing Swords and short Bucklers.
1862. G. A. Lawrence, Barren Honour, I. x. 210. Even ‘Lanky Jem’ recovered after a while from Somers’ swashing blow.
1876. Trevelyan, Life & Lett. Macaulay, II. xii. 253, note. He soon showed that he had not forgotten his swashing blow.
1905. Times, 17 June, 4/6. [He] is a swashing foe of all accepted or debated theories but his own.
3. Of water, etc.: Dashing and splashing.
1620. J. Taylor (Water P.), Praise Hemp-seed (1623), 31. Drencht with the swassing waues, and stewd in sweat.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xiv. (1856), 101. Rendered dangerous … by the swashing ice and a growing fog.
Hence Swashingly adv., swaggeringly; in a swashbuckling style.
1664. Cotton, Scarron., IV. (1741), 79. He wore a Hat Instead of Sattin lac’d with Fat, which being limber grown we find Most swashingly pinned up behind.
1891. Sat. Rev., 15 Aug., 179/2. Mr. Balfour spoke … swashingly about Sir William Harcourt.
1920. Grace Livingston Hill, Exit Betty, xvii. 230. Straight into the eyes of the would-be husband it [sc. deluge from a pipe] gushed, battering swashingly down on the cocked revolver, sending it harmlessly to the floor.
