a. Obs. Forms. 1 swicol, 2–4 swikel, 3 suykel, 3–4 suikel, 4 swikil(l, -yll, swykile, (sikil), 4–5 swykel. [OE. swicol, corresp. to OHG. pi-swichal ‘subdolus,’ ON. svikall (MSw. swikul), f. swik-: see SWIKE v. and -LE.] Deceitful, treacherous, crafty.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 82. Se swicola Herodes.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 428. Næs heo swicol nanum þæra þe hyre to ðohte.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 43. Heo wes … liȝere & swikel.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 180. Inre vondunges … swikele þouhtes, þet þuncheð þauh gode.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 356, in O. E. Misc., 124. Mony mon haueþ swikelne muþ.
c. 1300. Havelok, 1108. Ioie he made hire swiþe mikel, But neþeles he was ful swikel.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xlii. 1. Wickid is he þat does ill apertly, sikil, þat priuely synnes.
a. 1400. Prymer (1891), 34. A swykel tunge.
a. 1400. Siege Jerusalem (E.E.T.S.), 18/317. Many swykel at þe sweng to þe swerd ȝede.
Hence † Swikeldom, † Swikelhede, † Swikelness, deceitfulness, treachery; † Swikelly adv., deceitfully, treacherously.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 162 (Cott.). Schamie þe for þin unrede, Vnwroȝen is þi *svikel-hede; Schild þine *swikeldom vram þe liȝte [Jesus MS. swikehede … swikedom].
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7332. Þo willam bastard hurde telle of haraldes *suikelhede.
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., vii. (1883), 55. Hy … lætað þæt to wærscype, þæt hy oðre maʓan swa *swicollice pæcan.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter v. 11. [9]. With þair tonges swikilly þai wroght.
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., vii. (1883), 55. Antecrist lærð unsoðfæstnysse and *swicolnesse.
c. 1275. in O. E. Misc., 143/88. Þer wurþ ioye & mury song, Wiþ-vte swikelnesse.
