arch. Forms: 1, 3–4 swinc, 2–3 swink-, 3 swinck-, swunk, Orm. swinnc, 3–5 swynk, swynke, 3, 6–7 swinke, 4 suink(e, suinc(k, suynk, (squink, squynk(e, 5 suenk), 6 swinck(e, 3–7 (9 arch.) swink. [OE. swinc str. n. (1) trouble, chastisement, (2) labor, toil (cf. swincfull SWINKFUL, swincléas SWINKLESS, swinclíc laborious), also ʓeswinc I-SWINCH, I-SWINK, nouns of action to swincan to SWINK, q.v.; cf. SWINCH and SWING sb.1]

1

  † 1.  Trouble, affliction. Obs. rare.

2

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 198. Erian se þe hine ʓesihð swincu mæste him onʓean cumað.

3

1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. On al þis yuele time heold Martin abbot his abbotrice … mid micel suinc.

4

c. 1430.  Erthe upon Erthe, x. 35. Whanne þat erþe upon erþe is brouȝt withinne þe brink, Þan schal erþe of þe erþe haue a rewful swynk.

5

  2.  Labor, toil.

6

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 155. Ach hwider wenden heo?… fram hele in vnhele, from reste in to swinke [Trin. Coll. Hom. 147 swinche].

7

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6103. Swa þatt tin swinnc be clene swinnc & att rihht time swunnkenn.

8

c. 1205.  Lay., 2281. Moni swinc moni swæt Monine seorhfulne pleiȝe.

9

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 805. Lure ow is to leosen Ower swinkes lan.

10

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 921. Of erth þou sal, wit suete and suinc, Win þat þou sal eie and drinc.

11

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 540. Hise tithes payde he ful faire and wel Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel.

12

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 5687. But right anoon aftir his swynke He goth to tauerne forto drynke.

13

c. 1450.  Mirk’s Festial, 2. He most trauayl his body yn good werkes, and gete his lyfe wyth swynke.

14

1575.  Gammer Gurton, II. i. B ij. Chad a goodly dynner for all my sweate and swyncke.

15

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 36. How great sport they gaynen with little swinck.

16

1624.  Sanderson, Serm., Ad Pop., v. (1657), 306. So into these spiritual Sacrifices of Thanksgiving … we infuse a quantity of our own swinke and sweat.

17

1638.  W. Lisle, Heliodorus, X. 186. This [translation] have I wrought with day-and-nightly swinke.

18

1819.  W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 112. The plewman frae his day-lang swink Lay restin’ on the kitchen-bink.

19

1896.  A. Austin, England’s Darling, II. i. Who recks of summer sweat and swink, Or winter’s icy pang?

20

  attrib.  c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3172. Was hem noȝt werned ðat he crauen, For here swinc-hire he nu hauen.

21

  † 3.  Heavy drinking: cf. next, 3. Obs. rare–1.

22

1611.  Cotgr., s.v. Dodo, Apres bu dodo, Prov. After swink sleepe. [Cf. s.v., Bu, After liquor lazinesse.]

23