Forms: see SWOON v. [ME. suoweningue, swoȝning, app. f. i-swowen, i-swoȝen SWOW(N pa. pple. + -ING1.]
1. Fainting, syncope.
α. c. 1290. Mary Magd., 375, in S. Eng. Leg., 473. Ȝif is moder mouwe ȝuyt of hire suoweningue awake.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 474. Rymenhild … Wakede of hire swoȝning [v.r. swowenynge].
13[?]. St. Alexius, 142 (Trin. MS.). Þo hy of swoȝenynge a-ros [Laud MS. 463 þo she of swounynge ros].
β. a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 543. He was in swounynge and fel to þe grounde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 1024. O which a pitous thyng it was to se Hir swownyng.
14[?]. Sir Beues (E.), 4313 + 88. Iosyan … Fyl on swownyng on þat grounde.
c. 1440. Generydes, 6559. With that he fell in swounyng for very payn.
1544. Phaër, Regim. Lyfe (1553), E iij. Swouning is a takinge awaie of the feeling and mouing of the bodi by weaknes of the hert.
1590. Barrough, Meth. Phisick, III. iv. (1639), 105. When … venimous and gnawing humours be kept in the stomach … they cause swowning.
γ. a. 1300. Cursor M., 4202. He morn mare þan .i. can tell, Al-mast in suoning þar he fell.
c. 1400. Isumbras, 656. And als sone als scho saw it with syghte, In swonyng than felle that swete wyghte.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace (Camden), lxvi. Doune on squonyng ther con thay falle.
a. 1500. Lancelot, 2716. In swonyng thore he fell one to the ground.
1530. Palsgr., 278/2. Swonyng a disease, espaumure.
1650. W. D., trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., § 302. Faintings, qualms, and swooning, are relieved by vinegar.
1656. J. Smith, Pract. Physick, 16. It differs from swooning, because in swooning the colour of the face is changed.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), IV. 543. Vertigo … occasionally terminates in swooning; and … swooning is not unfrequently succeeded by vertigo.
2. A swoon; a fainting-fit.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 518. & seþþe me comeþ swouninges þre.
c. 1490. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 83. Such sicknes my wyfe hath,… puts her in joperty of hir life with a swonnyng.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 158. In these his swounings, I did comfort my selfe, that if he should chance to dye [etc.].
1671. Milton, Samson, 631. Thence faintings, swounings of despair.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 178. Swoonings and faint sweats.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med., liv. (1790), 621. Even disagreeable smells will sometimes occasion swoonings.
1815. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., x. (1818), I. 329. The Chinese, when about to speak in public … eat an ounce of it [sc. wax] to prevent swoonings.
3. attrib., as swooning bed, fit, passion, state; † swooning-ripe a., ready to swoon; † swooning-water, a ‘water’ used as a remedy for fainting.
1574. in MSS. Ld. Middleton (Hist. MSS. Comm., 1911), 447. To Mrs. Banyster for a swoninge water for my Mrs. … VI.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. III. Furies, 567. The Falling-sickness, and pale Swouning-passion.
1630–1. Milton, On University Carrier, II. 17. On his swooning bed outstretch’d.
1652. C. B. Stapylton, Herodian, I. 6. But swooning ripe he backward fell in bed.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens., 180/2. Essentia Regia … a most odoriferous Essence … takes away Fainting, and Swooning Fits.
1880. Browning, Dram. Idylls, Ser. II. Pan & Luna, 90. First moon-eclipse…, first swooning-fit which puzzled sore The early sages.
