sb. and a. Forms: 6 Swyce, pl. Swices, Swesses, 6–7 Swisse, 7 Swizz, 7–8 Suisse, 7– Swiss. [ad. F. Suisse, ad. MHG. Swiz (cf. MDa. Svids, Suitz).]
A. sb. 1. (Pl. the Swiss; † formerly the Swisses.) A native or an inhabitant of Switzerland.
pl. (a) 1515. Pace, in St. Papers Hen. VIII., VI. 39. I be this day butt forti milis fromme the Swisses.
1522. J. Clerk, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. (1846), I. 312. He shewed me also that the Bastard of Savoy was with the Swices.
1535. Lincoln Diocese Documents, 251. After them came the swesses euery man with his Javelinge in his hande.
1577–8. W. Davison, in Nicolas, Mem. Sir C. Hatton (1847), 45. He … solicited the succour and assistance of … the Swisses.
1608. Chapman, Byron’s Trag., I. i. 8. At fourteene yeares of age he was made Colonell To all the Suisses seruing then in Flanders.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., III. 177. Those Swisses fight on any side for pay.
1735. Berkeley, Querist, § 324. What sea-ports or foreign trade have the Swisses?
1796. [see BASTARD a. 4].
1801. trans. Gabrielli’s Myst. Husb., IV. 265. The Swisses excepted.
pl. (b) 1678. Butler, Hud., III. iii. 458. Lawyers … make their best Advantages, Of other quarrels, like the Swiss.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, April 1616. I … pass’d the guard of Swisse.
1799. Med. Jrnl., II. 494. The Swiss are indebted, it is thought, to the vigorous tone of their digestive organs, for the long preservation of their lives.
1831. Sir J. Sinclair, Corr., II. 404. The Scots and the Swiss have always felt a strong predilection for each other.
sing. 1632. Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, I. ii. And thou thyself slave to some needy Swiss.
1770. Ld. Huntingdon in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., 430/2. The imputation … of being an accommodating man, that voted like a Swiss with every administration.
1771. Fletcher, Checks, Wks. 1795, II. 357. Like a true Suisse I love blunt honesty.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxviii. ‘I set at all,’ said the daring young Swiss.
2. The Swiss dialect of German or other language spoken by the Swiss. rare–0.
1846. Worcester. Swiss, a native, or the language, of Switzerland.
B. adj.
1. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the Swiss or Switzerland; native to, or coming from, Switzerland.
1530. Palsgr., 278/1. Swyce or swycers pype, fleuste dalemant.
1613. Chapman, Maske Inns Court. A strange person … half French, halfe Swizz.
1706–7. Farquhar, Beaux’ Strat., V. v. My Valour is downright Swiss; I’m a Soldier of Fortune, and must be paid.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVI. 32/1. A dialect of the Swiss-German is the language of the country.
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 707. Arnica montana, a Swiss herb, called in our gardens Mountain Tobacco.
1897. Ch. Times, 20 Aug., 186/1. I never yet saw a Swiss breakfast without a bowl of honey on the table.
2. In names of things, animals, etc., actually or reputedly coming from Switzerland: e.g., Swiss cambric, cheese, copper, darning, deal, embroidery, flute, lace, milk, muslin, patchwork, pigeon, pine, shell (see quots.). Swiss drill, a cylindrical drill with the cutting point shaped into two pyramidal planes. Swiss guards, mercenary soldiers from Switzerland used as a special bodyguard by former sovereigns of France and other monarchs: still employed at the Vatican. Swiss melilot, a plant, Trigonella cœrulea. Swiss plover or sandpiper, a large plover (Squatarola helvetica) having four toes like a sandpiper. Swiss roll, a ‘sweet’ consisting of sponge cake rolled up with a layer of jam. Swiss stone-pine: see STONE-PINE. Swiss sword, a basket-hilted sword used in the 16th c. by Swiss foot-soldiers. Swiss tapeworm, the broad tapeworm, Bothriocephalus latus. Swiss tea, an infusion of several herbs of the genus Achillea, common in the Swiss Alps.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 22 Oct. 1644. In this Palace the Duke ordinarily resides, living with his Swiss guards.
1753. Chambers, Cycl., Supp., s.v. Trumpet-Shell, The rough buccinum, called the Swiss-shell.
1822. Lamb, Lett. to Coleridge, 9 March. Your potted char, Swiss cheeses, French pies.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., Introd. With his usual attendants of two files of Swiss guards preceding, and the same number following him.
1843. Holtzapffel, Turning, I. 107. The sounding boards of … most … instruments, are made of the Swiss deal. Ibid. (1846), II. 547. It is sometimes called the Swiss drill, and was employed … for making the numerous small holes, in the delicate punching machinery for manufacturing perforated sheets of metal and pasteboard.
1852. Seidel, Organ, 105. Swiss flute is an open flue-register.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 140/1. (Pigeons) Gulls or Swallows, Shields, Swiss.
1860. Hewitt, Anc. Armour, III. 617. The basket-hilted sword does not appear till the middle of the [sixteenth] century. It is often called by old writers the ‘Swiss sword.’
1860. Chambers’ Encycl., I. 29/1. The inhabitants of the Alps … use them [sc. leaves of Achillæa] for making what is called Swiss Tea.
1874. Coues, Birds N. W., 449. Black-bellied, Gray and Swiss Plover.
1879. Man. Artill. Exerc., 71. Swiss pile drivers.
1881. Dalpayrat, Limoges Enamels, 8. Of the kind called virgin or Swiss Copper.
1881. Lyell, Pigeons, 101. The Swiss pigeon … also goes by the name of moon, crescent, and badge of honour pigeon.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, s.v. Patchwork, Raised [Patchwork]. This is also known as Swiss Patchwork, and is made by stuffing the patches out with wadding so that they are well pulled up. Ibid., Swiss Cambric, this is a cotton material, manufactured at Zurich and St. Gall for a long period before muslins … were produced in England. Ibid., Swiss Darning, the method of reproducing Stocking-web by means of a darning needle and a thread of yarn worked double. Ibid., Swiss Embroidery, this Embroidery is the same as is known as Broderie Anglaise, Irish Work, and Madeira Work. Ibid., Swiss Lace, Lace was manufactured in Switzerland during the sixteenth century. Ibid., Swiss Muslin, muslin was manufactured at St. Gall and Zurich long prior to the production of the textile in England. It is a coarse description of buke or book muslin, much used for curtains, made with raised loose work in various patterns, and also plain.
1896. A. J. Hipkins, Pianoforte, 122. Swiss Pine, a name applied by pianoforte makers to the finer qualities in growth and grain of Abies Excelsa, the Spruce Fir.
1897. Econ. Confect. Bk., 13. Swiss Roll. Ingredients. 1/2 lb. of Flour. 1/2 lb. of Castor Sugar. 9 eggs. A pinch of Volatile Salts. 6 drops Essence of Lemon.
1898. Jrnl. Sch. Geog. (U.S.), Oct., 296. He had brought up a family of thirteen children entirely on Swiss milk and American flour.
