Sway sb.

Forms: 4–5 sweighe, 4–5, 8 sweigh, 4–6 (9 dial.) swey, 5 swegh, sweyh, sweyȝ, swyȝe, 5–6 sweygh, 6 swaie, swaye, swaigh(e, swea, suey, suai, 8–9 dial. swee, swye, 6– sway. [In branch I f. SWAY v.; with sense 1 cf. EFris. swei movement in a curve. In branch II partly of different origin; for sense 12 cf. ON. sveigr (Sw. sveg, Norw. sveig) switch, twig.]

  I.  The action of the verb SWAY.

  † 1.  The motion of a rotating or revolving body.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., I. met. v. 13 (Camb. MS.). O Thow … which … tornest the heuene with a Rauessyng sweyh [v.r. sweighe]. Ibid., II. pr. i. 22. The swyftnesse and the sweyȝ [v.r. sweyes] of hir [sc. Fortune’s] turnynge wheel. Ibid. (c. 1386), Man of Law’s T., 198. O firste moeuyng crueel firmament, With thy diurnal sweigh that crowdest ay And hurlest al from Est til Occident.

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 2024. As Fortune … List on hir whele make a man ascende,… And with a swyȝe þrow hym to meschaunce. Ibid. (1426), De Guil. Pilgr., 12234. iiij spookys … Set vp-on an Extre large, Of the sweygh to bere the charge.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. IV. Handie-crafts, 578. To know Heav’n’s course, and how their constant swaies Divide the year in months, the months in dayes.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 3. Are not you mou’d, when all the sway of Earth Shakes, like a thing vnfirme?

1610.  Histrio-m., I. 227. Turne a huge wheele: contrary to the sway Place me a flye uppon’t.

  2.  The sweeping or swinging motion of a heavy body, a storm, etc.; the impetus or momentum of a body, etc., in motion. Obs. or dial.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, II. 1383. Whan þat þe sturdy ok … Receyued hath þe happy failyng strok The grete sweigh doth it to come al at onys.

c. 1540.  trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden No. 29), 16. The bridge … being broken with the swey of people that thronged over the same.

1568.  V. Skinner, trans. Montanus’ Inquisition, 24 b. That he may fall downe with a sway.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 188. Great Maules and Beetels, which the more angerly the Beare shoueth aside, with the greater sway they come vppon his head againe.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 15. Untill a nation straunge,… with their importune sway, This land invaded with like violence.

1645.  Ussher, Body Div. (1647), 74. In a field there are many battels,… yet all turn head with one sway at once.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 251. With huge two-handed sway Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down.

1700.  Dryden, Ceyx & Alc., 167. The hero tenth advanc’d before the rest Sweeps all before him with impetuous sway.

1757.  Gray, Bard, 75. Regardless of the sweeping whirlwind’s sway.

1802.  James, Milit. Dict., Sway, the swing or sweep of a weapon.

1815.  Shelley, Alastor, 387. Seized by the sway of the ascending stream.

1825.  Scott, Talism., xxvii. The glittering broadsword … descended with the sway of some terrific engine.

  fig.  1553.  Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, I. (1558), 47. They feele nothing but pleasure and therunto be caried with their holle sweygh [orig. omni impetu].

1579.  Fenton, Guicciard., 831. So that the whole swaigh or burden of the Warre lay upon the Swizzers.

  † b.  A swinging stroke or blow. Sc. Obs.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 383. This schiphird carle he gaif him sic ane swey [etc.].

  c.  A turn, veer. Sc.

1818.  Hogg, Brownie of Bodsbeck, viii. I. 139. Ye ken the wind very often taks a swee away round to the east i’ the night time.

1875.  W. M‘Ilwraith, Guide to Wigtownshire, 126. The [flat-bottomed] boats were liable to give a sudden swee.

  † 3.  Force or pressure bearing or inclining its object in one direction or another. Obs.

1565.  Peend, Hermaphroditus, B v b.

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlix. § 6. As long as the sway of euill custome ouerbeareth them.

1601.  Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 305. The sway of the world doth weigh downe all things that can be spoken out of the word of God.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 234. Expert When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway Of Battel.

1757.  W. Wilkie, Epigoniad, III. 52. Push’d and yielding to superior sway,… the Spartan ranks gave way.

1791.  J. Learmont, Poems, 32. Sic is Britain’s present state. A sweigh will coup her ony gate.

  † 4.  Inclination or bias in a certain direction; occas. deviation from a course of action. Obs. (in later use Sc.).

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. xxiii. (1912), 490. [He] suffred … his imaginations to be raised even by the sway, which hearing or seing, might give unto them.

1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 578. This aduantage, this vile drawing byas, This sway of motion.

1596.  Bacon, Max. Com. Law, iii. (1636), 10. This rule doth give them a sway to take the law more certainly one way.

a. 1601.  ? Marston, Pasquil & Kath. (1878), I. 188. Their verie wish … had some sway from dutie.

1645.  Milton, Tetrach., 29. Such a peculiar sway of liking, or disliking in the affairs of matrimony.

1730.  T. Boston, in Morrison, Mem., x. (1899), 316. A plain sway to the other side appearing in that committee.

1820.  Hogg, Winter Even T., I. 253 (Jam.). Its your mind that I’m sad for; they’ll gie’t a wrang swee.

  5.  Prevailing, overpowering, or controlling influence.

a. 1510.  Douglas, King Hart, II. 216. No dar I nocht be no way mak travale, Bot quhair I se my maister get a swey.

1575.  Gascoigne, Kenelworth, Wks. 1910, II. 103. You fishes all, and each thing else, that here have any sway.

1586.  A. Day, Engl. Secretary, I. (1625), 26. My Lord the Duke is here of great sway.

1671.  Milton, Samson, 791. The jealousie of Love, powerful of sway In human hearts.

1705.  Addison, Italy, 31. This renders it very suspicious, that the Interests of Particular … Religious Orders … have too great a Sway in their Canonizations.

1762–71.  H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), II. 57. His Countess, who had great sway with him, being notoriously corrupt.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vii. II. 188. The sovereign of this country, acting in harmony with the legislature, must always have a great sway in the affairs of Christendom.

1879.  Dixon, Windsor, II. ii. 16. The girl had fallen under the sway of nuns and priests.

  6.  Power of rule or command; sovereign power or authority; dominion, rule.

1586.  A. Day, Engl. Secretary, I. (1625), 33. In causes of sway and government.

1616.  B. Jonson, Epigr., xxxv. 2. A prince that rules by example, more than sway.

1681.  Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 780. For who can be secure of private Right, If Sovereign Sway may be dissolv’d by Might?

1683.  Temple, Mem., Wks. 1720, I. 458. There were two ruling Burgomasters of Amsterdam … who had the whole Sway of that Town.

1706.  Prior, Ode to Queen, xxv. France on universal Sway intent.

1836.  Thirlwall, Greece, xvi. II. 372. Her sway was exclusively acknowledged by her Peloponnesian allies.

1872.  Yeats, Growth Comm., 181. Western India from Ormuz to Ceylon owned the sway of Portugal.

1875.  Fortnum, Maiolica, ii. 14. There were two periods of Mahommedan sway in Spain.

  b.  transf. and fig.

1597.  Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 108. That horse his mettell from his rider takes Proud of subiection, noble by the swaie.

1644.  Milton, Educ., 1. Either by the definite will of God so ruling, or the peculiar sway of nature.

1692.  Prior, Ode Imit. Hor., iv. The Sun absent, with full sway the Moon Governs the Isles.

1714.  R. Fiddes, Pract. Disc., II. 220. The soul … originally govern’d the body with an absolute sway.

1805–6.  Cary, Dante, Inf., VIII. 16. A small bark … under the sole sway Of one that ferried it.

1871.  Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, 136. In the hearts of men is thy sway.

  c.  contextually. (a) Means of government. (b) Position of authority or power.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1655), IV. xlvii. 111. The Sword is the surest sway over all people who ought to be cudgel’d rather then cajoll’d to obedience.

1765.  Goldsm., Double Transform., 101. No more presuming on her sway, She learns good-nature every day.

1805–6.  Cary, Dante, Inf., VII. 84. One nation rises into sway, Another languishes.

1825.  Scott, Talism., xi. He had been raised to the ducal sway in the German empire.

  7.  Phr. To bear († a or the) sway, etc. (also † to carry sway): to rule, govern; to hold the (highest) position in authority or power; to exercise influence, carry weight. Also, † to carry the sway of.

1550.  Crowley, Last Trumpet, 1309. Let them two [sc. knowledge and fear of the Lord] bear all the swea In thy doinges.

1555.  Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. vi. 151. Nexte vnto the kinges maiestie, the communaltie bare the swaye.

1567.  Fenton, Trag. Disc., 8. Suche as in many ages before had borne the grettest swaighe in that publike weale.

1570.  Walsingham, in D. Digges, Complete Ambass. (1655), 8. Montmorencie … now carrieth the whole sway of the Court.

1573.  G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 3. Wilfulnes wil beare a suai, if it be not bridelid.

1581.  Mulcaster, Positions, xxxvii. (1887), 150. One prince beareth the sway.

1636.  Massinger, Gt. Dk. Florence, II. ii. This is the man that carries The sway, and swinge of the Court.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., I. v. 19. As it comes to bear sway in them.

1715.  Pope, Iliad, I. 285. Let revenge no longer bear the sway.

1759.  Robertson, Hist. Scot., VI. Wks. 1813, I. 459. Huntly and Bothwell, who bore the chief sway in the kingdom.

1779.  Mirror, No. 66, ¶ 5. He knows … that, in Lady Anne, vanity bears absolute sway.

1845.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 9. The ages when the Church bore sway over every action of life.

  8.  Manner of carrying oneself; carriage, deportment. ? Obs.

1753.  Hogarth, Anal. Beauty, iii. 20. The Antinous’s easy sway must submit to the stiff and straight figure of the dancing master.

1796.  W. H. Marshall, Planting, II. 40. The Evergreen Bignonia … will form at a distance a grand figure from the sway they bear.

1845.  J. Keegan, Leg. & Poems (1907), 263. From time out of mind, this parish has been famous for its dances, and our boys and girls always … brought the sway, both for step and figure, and carriage, too.

  9.  The action of moving backward and forward or from side to side.

1846.  Holtzapffel, Turning, II. 917. The sway of the blades of jointed shears is prevented, by allowing the moving arm to pass through a loop or guide which may retain it in position.

1865.  A. L. Gordon, Vis. Smoke, viii. Poems (1912), 85. A sway in the crowd—a murmuring hum!

1912.  J. Masefield, in Eng. Rev., Oct., 338. The poise [of a ship] At the roll’s end, the checking in the sway.

  II.  Concrete senses.

  † 10.  ? The pole of a cart. Sc. Obs.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 561. Fast festnit on ane tre, Out throw the toun tha gart him drawin be, Vpoun ane suey ay swappand vp and doun.

  11.  A lever, crowbar. dial.

1545.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., VIII. 423. Sweyis, oxin bollis, and other necessaries pertening to the said monitioun. Ibid. (1547), IX. 88. Thair ten cairttis laidint with … extreis, sweyes, sowmes, ȝokes, oxin bowes and other necessarres for the said artalȝere.

1566.  Inventories R. Wardr. (1815), 170. Item fyve sweis of tymmer Item ceriane hand spakkis.

1793.  Young’s Ann. Agric., XXI. 621. A gentlewoman in the vicinity of Edinburgh … has always been used to Churn … in a plunge Churn, with a swee (a lever applied to the end of the Churn-staff).

1808.  Jamieson, Swey, a long crow for raising stones.

1823.  Moor, Suffolk Words.

1876.  Atkinson, Cleveland Gloss., Sway, a wooden lever.

  12.  A small pliable twig or rod; a switch. dial. (E. Anglia).

1630.  Churchw. Acc. St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, in Norf. Antiq. Misc. (1883), II. 341. Item paid Thomas Seamer for swaies or wandes … iij. d.

1787.  W. H. Marshall, Rural Econ. Norfolk Gloss. (E.D.S.).

1847.  Halliwell, Sway … a switch used by thatchers to bind their work…. East.

  13.  A flat iron rod suspended in the chimney, on which pots and kettles are hung. Sc. and north.

1825.  Jamieson.

1870.  J. K. Hunter, Life Stud. Charac., xli. 257. Willie’s lum was one of an old-fashioned wideness, with a rungiltree instead of a swee.