Obs. exc. arch. Forms: 1 swefen (suoefn, soefn, swæfn), 1, 3 swefn, (3 suefen, sweoven), 4–5 swefene, sueven(e, swevene, (4 squeven, -yn, -in, 4–5 swevon, 5 swevn, swyven, swene, sween, sweine, sweyne), 5–6 swevin, (5 swevyn, 6 Sc. swewyn, sweving, -yng), 6–8 sweaven, (7 sweeven), 3– sweven. [OE. swef(e)n str. neut., sleep, dream = OS. sweðan str. m., ON. svefn str. m.:—OTeut. *swefno-:—Indo-eur. *swepno-, f. swep-.
The parallel formations *swepno-, swopno-, supno- are represented outside Teutonic by Skr. svápnas, Gr. ὔπνος, L. somnus, Arm. khun, OIr. suan, W. hun, OSl. sŭnŭ, Lith sãpnas; and, with secondary suffix, Skr. svápn(i)yam, Gr. ὲν-ύπνιον, L. somnium, OSl. sŭnīje. From Indo-eur. swep-: swop-: swup- are derived also Skr. svápiti to sleep, L. sopor sleep, OE. swefan (see SWEVE), OSl. sūpati to sleep.]
1. A dream, vision.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xvi. 101. For ðære ʓesihðe ðe he on ðæm swefne ʓeseah.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. i. 20. In somnis, in suoefnum vel in slepe.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Dan., 496 (Gr.). Him wearð on slæpe swefen ætywed.
c. 1205. Lay., 25552. Alse þe king slepte, A sweuen him imette, Feorlic wes þat sweouen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 268. Hit bringeð to nout alle þes deofles wieles … as lease swefnes, & false scheauwinges.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 224. God dede ðat he on sweuene cam, And in ðat sweuene he let him sen Mikel ðat after sulde ben.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 147, in E. E. P. (1862), 51. Þis sueuene bicom soþ ynouȝ.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Nun’s Pr. T., 101. Allas and konne ye been agast of sweuenys No thyng god woot, but vanitee in sweuene is.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 1668. A merueylle swene he dude þo mete.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 199. Manasses … beleuyd swenys and sorsrie.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3226. In stronge sweyneys I haue bene stad.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xiii. 53. Alle that herd of the sweuen said it was a token of grete batayll.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., Balaam, 382. Then shold our childre prophesie, ould men meet swevens [v.r. sweens] wytterly.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, II. xii. 64. The figour fled as lycht wynd, or son beyme, Or mast liklie a waverand sweving [v.r. sweuin] or dreyme.
c. 1570. Pride & Lowl. (1841), 65. I looked all my chamber round about, And called to remembraunce all my sweven.
1594. Zepheria, iii. I as out of sweauen, My selfe gan rowse, like one from sleepe awaked.
a. 1643. W. Cartwright, Ordinary, II. ii. (1651), 26. Dan Cupido Sure sent thylke sweven to mine head.
a. 1650. St. Aldringa, 77, in Hales & Furniv., Percy Folio, I. 169. I had thought sweuens had neuer been true.
a. 1650. Robin Hood & Guy of Gisborne, iv. Sweauens are swift, master … As the wind that blowes ore a hill.
a. 1832. Motherwell, Poems, Sabbath Summer Noon, xx. Fast fade the cares of life’s dull sweven.
1840. Kingsley, Weird Lady, Poems (1892), 211. Mary Mother she stooped from heaven; She wakened Earl Harold out of his sweven.
† 2. Sleep. Obs. rare.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 720 (Gr.). Hit wæs deaðes swefn … menniscra morð.
c. 1645. Enquiry, &c., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), V. 503. If they [sc. swallows] should have no occasion for breath, while they lie in their sweeven, or winter-sleep. [Cf. SWEVET, quot. 1623.]
