Also 5 sweltre, 6 squelter; 5 swalt(e)ryn, sqwalt-, squalt(e)ryn. [f. root of SWELT v. + -ER5. Cf. SULTER.
Promp. Parv. has a variant derived from the grade swalt-; cf. swaltyng s.v. SWELTING vbl. sb., and SWALTISH.]
1. intr. To be oppressed with heat; to sweat profusely, languish, or faint with excessive heat.
c. 1403. Lydg., Temple of Glas, 358. Þuruȝ myn axcesse … I sweltre and swete.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 471/1. Sqwalteryn, for hete or oþer cawsys (P. squaltryn or swaltryn), sincopo, exalo. Ibid., 481/2. Swalteryn for hete, or febylnesse, or other cawsys (P. or swownyn), exalo, sincopizo.
1575. Gascoigne, Dan Bartholomew, Wks. 1907, I. 123. My seale is sorrowes sythe, within a fielde or flame, Which cuts in twaine a carefull heart, yt sweltreth in the same.
1624. Quarles, Sion’s Elegies, viii. 9. Oh, let me swelter in those sacred beams. Ibid. (1624), Sion’s Sonn., i. 5. I was enforc’d to swelter in the Sunne.
1662. Trenchfield, Chr. Chym., 3. Like Physitians who willing to appeare richly clad, swelter in Plush in hot summer.
1714. Mandeville, Fab. Bees (1729), II. 24. The venerable Counsellor,… that at his great Age continues sweltering at the Bar to plead the doubtful Cause.
1825. Scott, Lett. to Morritt, 3 Aug., in Lockhart. Your kind letter … finds me sweltering under the hottest weather I ever experienced.
1880. L. Oliphant, Land of Gilead, xi. 313. A fat official sweltering in his uniform under the burning sun.
fig. 1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 31. Thee labor hoat sweltreth [L. Fervet opus].
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., III. 10. Were they treated by Church-Zealots with a more swelt you Charitable Indifferency or Pity,… they would soon swelter away … to the Church Communion.
b. Said of natural objects.
1635. Quarles, Embl., III. xiv. 17. I behold … the battlements of heav’n Sweltring in Flames.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., vi. 197. The very bowels of the world swelter and are molten.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xlv. Stagnant pools, which here and there lay idly sweltering by the black roadside.
1865. Parkman, Champlain, i., in Pioneers France N. World (1876), 201. It was late in August, and the leafy landscape sweltered in the sun.
c. fig. with reference to the heat of burning desire, or the oppressiveness of a burden.
1571. Jewel, Def. Apol., etc., viii. II. 219. Better it is to Marrie, then to swelter inwardely with filthy affections.
1620. Swetnam Arrayned (1880), 43. As if they meant to dye for loue, When they but swelter in the reeke of Lust.
1675. Brooks, Gold. Key, Wks. 1867, V. 212. Shall he lie sweltering under his Father’s wrath?
1715. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., I. 136. He chose rather to swelter under the Weight of the learned Mr. Selden’s Authority.
d. To move slowly or painfully (as if) oppressed with heat.
1834. M. Scott, Cruise Midge (1863), 162. The labouring ship sweltered about on the boiling sea.
1884. Manch. Exam., 15 Nov., 5/1. In the height of summer English troops were to swelter through the desert.
2. trans. To oppress with heat; to cause to sweat, languish, or faint with oppressive heat. Chiefly pass.
1601. W. Cornwallis, Ess., II. xlvi. (1631), 263. As painfull, as a body sweltred in a crowde.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 262. Sweltered with the flaming heat of the Sun.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, IV. iv. 70. Say not that the High-priest was sweltred, being built so many stories high in his garments.
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 405. We were sweltered in the sun, or blown through with a north-east wind.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, I. 368. I was half sweltered to death, under a great pile o’ blankets.
1890. J. Pulsford, Loyalty to Christ, I. 140. The heat that swelters a bear is the delight of a lark.
b. fig. with reference to the heat of strong emotion or desire.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 115. Shee stormeth sweltred in anger.
1765. Falconer, Demagogue, 279. He…, swelter’d with revenge.
1835. Beckford, Recoll., 158. The … stranger, who felt … sufficiently annoyed and sweltered.
† 3. intr. and pass. To be bathed in liquid; hence, to welter, wallow (lit. and fig.). Obs.
1595. Locrine, III. iv. I long to see The trecherous Scithians squeltering in their gore.
1596. Lodge, Marg. Amer., 136. A soule sweltered in sinnes.
1610. G. Fletcher, Christ’s Tri., II. xx. Acquieting the soules, that newe before Their way to heav’n through their owne blood did skore, But now … Swelter in quiet waves of immortalitie.
a. 1640. Day, Parl. Bees (1881), 75. The mossie weeds, halfe swelter’d, serv’d As beds for vermin hunger-sterv’d.
1647. C. Harvey, Schola Cordis, xxxviii. (1778), 119. Swelter’d and swill’d in sweat.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 324. He fell on the ground, sweltering in a Sea of Bloud.
1865. Bushnell, Vicar. Sacr., III. b. (1866), 271. The transgressor could as easily re-gather his money sown upon the Gulf Stream, as gather himself back out of the penal causations in which he is sweltering.
4. trans. with allusion, more or less precise, to Shakespeare’s sweltered venom (see next, 1): To exude (venom); also absol., and intr. for pass.
1834. Lytton, Pompeii, III. x. Burn flame—simmer herb—swelter toad.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., li. A reptile contemporary has recently sweltered forth his black venom in the … attempt [etc.].
1842. F. E. Paget, Milford Malvoisin, 165. The concentrated venom which was sweltering in her countenance.
1847. L. Hunt, Men, Women, & Bks., I. xiv. 234. The fat seemed sweltering and full of poison.
