Obs. Forms: 1 swapan, 3–5 swope, 4 Ayenb. zuope, 5 swoope, 6 suope. Pa. t. 1 sweop, 4 swepe, 9 dial. swap(e. Pa. pple. 1 swapen, 3–4 swopen, 4 isuope, iswope, swope, swpen, 4–5 yswope(n, 9 dial. swapen; weak 5 yswoped, iswoped, 5 swoped, -it. [OE. swápan, pa. t. swéop, pa. pple. swápen to sweep with a broom, brandish (a sword), intr. to rush, dash, = OS. *swêpan, only in pa. t. farswêp swept away, OFris. swêpa to sweep, OHG. sweifan to set in circular motion, wind, (MHG. sweifen, pa. t. swief, G. schweifen intr. to rove, ramble, trans. to sweep in a curve, etc., winnow), ON. sveipa, pa. t. sveip, usually wk. sveipaða, pa. pple. sveipinn, f. Teut. root swaip- (whence also the causative vbs. MHG. sweifen, G. schweifen to swing, ON. sveipa, sveipta to throw, sling, wrap; see also SWAIP, SWAPE). For representatives of the weak grade of the root see SWEPE, SWIFT, SWIP, SWIPPER.] To sweep.
1. trans. SWEEP v. 1, 7, 13.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Lambeth) lxxvi[i]. 6. Ic sweop minne gast [scobebam spiritum meum].
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxviii. (Z.), 169. Uerro, ic swape.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 87. He … cumeð þerto & fint hit emti & mid beseme clene swopen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 314. Ȝif hit dusteð swuðe, heo vlaskeð water þeron, & swopeð hit ut awei efter al þet oðer.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6945. Me broȝte vorþ þis fury [= fiery] ssares and leide is al arewe In þe bar erþe isuope.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 2193. Þe flore was swopen clene.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 102. Ȝif schrift schulde hit þenne swopen out.
1408–17. in Rec. St. Mary at Hill, Introd. p. xcvi. The church and the chauncell flore most be … fayre swoped with a Besom.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 385. The mullok on an heep yswoped [v.rr. iswoped, yswopen, sweped, iswepid, yswepped] was.
c. 1480. Henryson, Mor. Fab., Cok & Jasp., ii. Iowellis ar tint … Vpon the flure, and swopit furth anone.
a. 1800. Pegge, Suppl. Grose (1814), Swoop, the Preterit of Sweep. North.
1862. [C. C. Robinson], Dial. Leeds, Swap, p.t. of sweep. ‘Swap it off wi’ his arm.’
1876. Holderness Gloss., Swape, p. t. of to sweep. Swapen, p. p. of to sweep.
2. intr. = SWEEP v. 22, 23.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., vii. 20. Hus on munte … on swift wind swapeð.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Exod., 480 (Gr.). Brim … wide wæðde, wælfæðmum sweop.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 341. Þenne he swepe to þe sonde in sluchched cloþes.
a. 1552. Leland, Itin. (1768), VII. 83. Kenet towchithe the Towne withe his lifte Ripe suopinge in a low Botom.
Hence † Swopon ppl. a., swept.
13[?]. S. E. Leg. (MS. Bodl. 779), in Herrig’s Archiv, LXXXII. 318/451. Vppon þe swpen grounde eche nyȝt he lay.
