Swith

adv. arch. or dial. (in later use chiefly Sc.) Forms: α. 1–3 swiðe, 1–4 swyðe, 1–5 swiþe, 2–3 swuðe, 2–4 suithe, suythe, (2 swuþe, 3 swðe), 3–4 suyþe, 4 (Ayenb.) zuyþe, 4–5 swyþe, suiþe, (swyde ?), (4 squiþe, squyþe, 4–5 squythe, 5 squithe, sqwithe), 4–6 swythe, 3–5, 9 arch. and rare swithe. β. 3 swuð ?, 4 suiþ, (suit, squyþ, comp. swyþþer), 4, 6 Sc. suith, suyth, 4–5, 6 Sc. swyth, 5 swiþ, (Sc. swycht), 5–6 Sc. swyith, (6 Sc. switht), 4–6, 8 Sc., 9 arch. and Sc. swith. [OE. swíðe = OS. swîðo (MLG. swide, swît), OFris. swîthe, swîde, OHG., MHG. swinde (later swint, schwind(t), mod.G. geschwind, dial. schwind-e), adv. of Com. Teut. adj. represented by OE. swíþ strong (surviving in ME. only in the compar. SWITHER) = OS. swîði, swîð strong, powerful, sudden (MLG. swîde, swît), OHG., MHG. swinde strong, rapid (as the second element in many personal names, as Wolfswind, Amalswind), early mod.G. schwind-e, ON. svinnr swift, quick, wise, Goth. swinþs strong; of doubtful origin.

  The normal modern representative of OE. swíðe would have been (swəið). The reduction of ME. swīthē to one syllable (swīð) took place first in the north (Cursor Mundi). Evidence of normal shortening of the stem-vowel in the compar. swyþþer appears late in the 14th cent.; there is no clear evidence of shortening in the positive till late in the 16th cent.]

  † 1.  Qualifying a finite verb or a participle: Strongly, forcibly; very greatly, very much, extremely, excessively; in sup. most, most especially.

Beowulf, 997 (Gr.). Wæs þæt beorhte bold tobrocen swiðe.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 223. Þæs he wæs ðonne ealles swiþost to herʓenne.

a. 1122.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 959. He wearð wide, ʓeond þeodland, swiðe ʓeweorðad.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 119. We sculen hine efre mid alle ure heorte … herian and swipest on þissere halie tide.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 178. Ȝif eni ancre is þet ne veleð none uondunges, swuð drede hire iðet point, þet heo beo ouer muchel & ouer swuðe ivonded.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 39. Hit ah meiden to eggi þe swiðre þer framward.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 1039. Þe fend wondrede swiþe, and seide ‘What artou?’

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., B. 987. Wyth lyȝt louez vplyfte þay loued hym swyþe.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 479. I wil not greve þe to swiþe [Caxton swyth]. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., IV. xi. (Tollem. MS.). Hete worcheþ ful swyþe [orig. nimis] in þe substaunce of flewme and brenneþ it.

  † 2.  Qualifying an adj. or adv.: Excessively, extremely, very. Obs.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 27. He hine lædde upon swiþe hea dune.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. vii. 13. Se weʓ is swyþe rum þe to forspillednesse ʓelæt.

1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1140. Hit ward sone suythe god pais.

c. 1250.  Hymn Virgin, 2, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 257. Moder milde flur of alle Þu ert leuedi swuþe treowe.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5616. Þe king … auised hym suiþe wel, wat man it were.

c. 1375.  Cursor M., 14335 (Fairf.). Vn-til his fader he made a bone & he hit herde squiþe sone.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 293. Þe water of þat welle is swiþe good for men and nouȝt for wommen.

c. 1425.  Seven Sag. (P.), 2. In Rome was an emperour, A man of swyth mikil honur.

c. 1450.  Hymns Virgin, etc. (1867), 119. The iiij^te day ys swythe longe, With wepynge & wyth sorow amonge.

  3.  At a rapid rate, very quickly, swiftly, rapidly. Now arch. or dial.

  α.  c. 1205.  Lay., 28469. Ut of Eouerwike … heo iwende, & touward Karliun tuhte, Swa swithe swa heo mahte.

13[?].  K. Alis., 5540 (Laud MS.). To his folk he com ful swiþe, And of his comyng hij weren bliþe.

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1424. Þe howndez … hastid þider swyþe.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiii. 150. It es ane of þe swythest rynnand waters of þe werld.

c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 744. Þe day passiþ swiþe.

c. 1430.  Two Cookery-bks., 39. Late hem nowt sethe to swythe, & þan lat hem kele.

  β.  a. 1352.  Minot, Poems, v. 67. Þe schipmen of Ingland sailed ful swith Þat none of þe Normandes fro þam might skrith.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 816. Olyuer sone y-seȝ þat cas, & swyþþer bi-gan to haste.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13156. Whan I hade lengit qwile me list, I launchit on swith.

c. 1400.  Beryn, 583. The Pardoner ran so swith, þe panne fil hym fro.

c. 1450.  Holland, Howlat, 171. Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of swar.

1892.  J. Lumsden, Sheep-Head & Trotters, 40. But daffin jigs, an’ sangs, an’ tales, Sped far too swith the hours on.

  4.  Quickly, without delay, forthwith, instantly, immediately, directly, at once. Also as int. = Quick! hence! away! Now arch. or dial.

  α.  c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 13. Stala and steorfa swiðe eow scal hene.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25794. We þe scullen fusen to, swa we hit swiðest maȝen don [c. 1275 so swiþe so we mawe do].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R. 236. Go & slep swiðe.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1086. Ðis angeles … Bid him, or day, redi ben And swiðe ut ðis burȝes flen.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 140. He sende writes sone on-on … That he shulden comen swiþe Til him, that was ful vnbliþe.

1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 921. Aftur swaginge of swinc swiþe comeþ ioie.

1388.  Wyclif, John xiii. 27. That thing that thou doist, do thou swithe.

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xxv. He stroke him sadde and sore, Squithe sqounut he thore.

c. 1435.  Torr. Portugal, 1116. ‘Swith,’ he seith, ‘that this be done.’

1575.  Gammer Gurton, I. iv. That chal gammer swythe and tyte, and sone be here agayn.

1907.  J. Davidson, Triumph Mammon, V. ii. Wherefore upon rebellion swithe I loosed With my own hand the reservoir of death.

  β.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1902. Sco went forth and com ful suith [rhyme eftsith].

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, II. 316. Till armys swyth, and makys ȝow ȝar!

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xxx. Sethun thay busket hom ȝare, Sqwith with owtun any mare.

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 625. Let him swyith in.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. ii. 61. Switht the cluddis, hevin, sone, and days licht Hid.

1528.  Lyndesay, Dreme, 971. Swyith, harlote, hy the hence.

c. 1570.  Pride & Lowl. (1841), 58. Then called I the Shoemaker and Smyth, The Tanner, Graisier, and the Vintener; Who ready were at hand and came full swith.

1615.  Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 129. Pray thee (good Billy) tell me swith and soone, Iockie may doe what Billy late has done.

1725.  Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., IV. i. Swith tak him deel, he’s our lang out of hell!

1788.  Burns, ‘Louis, what reck I by thee,’ ii. Kings and nations—swith, awa!

1805.  Scott, Last Minstrel, IV. xxii. My Ladye reads you swith return.

1838.  J. Struthers, Poetic Tales, 20. Swith he left his pipe and plaid.

1900.  C. Murray, Hamewith, Winter, viii. Swith to the fleer ilk eager chiel Bangs wi’ his lass to start the reel.

  † b.  As (als, also) swithe as (als swither), as soon as. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8167 (Cott.). Alsuith sum [Gött. also suith as] he þat king had knaun, He said, ‘sir welcum to þin aun.’

c. 1400.  Gamelyn, 541 (Harl. MS.). As swithe as thei haddyn wroken hem on her foon.

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xliv. Als squithur thay ar ȝare, To masse ar thay wente.

  † c.  ellipt.: see ALSWITHE 2, ASWITHE = as soon as possible, at once, immediately. Obs.