slang or colloq. Also 6 swyg, 7 swigge. [Origin unknown.]
1. Drink, liquor. ? Obs.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke vi. 74. Hauing been long accustomed to the olde soure swyg of Moses lawe they could not awaie with the muste of euangelical charitie.
1635. J. Taylor (Water P.), Old Parr, C 2 b. And for his daily swig, Milk, Butter-milk, and Water, Whay, and Whig.
b. Applied locally to special drinks: see quots.
1827. R. Cook, Oxford Night Caps, 30. The Wassail Bowl, or Swig, as it is termed at Jesus College in this University. Ibid., note. Swig was formerly almost exclusively confined to Jesus College; it is now, however, a great favourite throughout the University.
1841. Hartshorne, Salopia Ant., 584. Swig, 1. Toast and ale.
2. An act of ‘swigging’; a deep or copious draught of a beverage, esp. of intoxicating liquor; a ‘pull.’
1621–3. Middleton & Rowley, Changeling, IV. ii. But one swig more, sweet madam.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 208. He takes the flagon of wine in his hands, and giues it a good swigge.
1687. Renowned Hist. Sir J. Hawkwood, ix. 17. After they had taken several lusty swigs, so that their spirits came (as it were) again.
1726–31. Waldron, Descr. Isle of Man (1865), 70. After a good hearty swig out of one of the bottles of ale.
1843. Lover, Handy Andy, xxxvi. ‘Hand us that whisky’—he put the bottle to his mouth and took a swig.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxviii. And now for another swig at the beer.
1899. R. Whiteing, No. 5 John St., xi. I buy a ha’porth of bread, take a swig at a fountain, and tramp the East End parks to kill time.
b. Drinking; to play at swig, to indulge in drinking. ? Obs.
1688. W. Scot, Hist. Fam. Scot (1776), 32. A vitious, odious King [sc. Donald V.], he play’d at swig, Whilst he lost Scotland all to Striviling-bridge.
3. Comb., as swig-bowl, -day (see quots.).
1832. Hone, Year Bk., 265. Swig Day, at Cambridge [sic].
1870. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Swig, spiced ale and toast…. Swig-bowl, the large bowl—like a punch-bowl—in which swig is served.
