north. dial. and Sc. Obs. In 5 sweght, sweyght, 6 (9) Sc. swecht. [app. f. sweȝ- (repr. by the early forms of SWAY v.) + -T suffix3 a.] ‘The force of a body in motion’ (Jam.); impetus.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Troylus, II. 1383 (MS. St. John’s Camb.). Whan that the sturdy ook … Receyued hath the happy fallynge strooke The grete sweyght [also Harl. 1239; v.rr. sweigh, swey, sweyf, swough] makith it come al at ones.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxiii. 362. Swete may þis swayne for sweght of our swappes!
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 36. Tho wyth thar swechtis, as thai reyll and leipe, The byrnand towyr doun rollis with a rusche. Ibid., XII. xi. 159. Like as the gret roch crag … Is maid to fall and tumble with all his swecht.
[1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 173. Round him they rush’t, and push’t, and pecht To overturn him wi’ their swecht.]
b. fig. (See quot.)
a. 1800. Pegge, Suppl. Grose (1814), Sweight, the greatest part of any thing. North.
