v. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 swodrian, 3 swoudri(e, suoddre, 8–9 dial. swather, swother. [OE. swodrian, of unascertained origin.] intr. To sleep, slumber; also, to swoon. Hence Swother sb. (swather, zwodder), slumber, drowsiness; Swodder a., drowsy.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Spelman) iii. 5. Ego dormivi, et soporatus sum, ic hnæppode and ic swodrode.
c. 1290. St. Edmond, 268, in S. Eng. Leg., 439. Alutel he bigan to swoudri as a slep him nome. Þo þoȝte him in his swoudringe þat a whit coluere com Fram heuene.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5340. A day as he weri was & a suoddringe him nom.
c. 1739. J. Haynes, Voc. Dorset, in N. & Q., 6th Ser. VIII. 45. A swather, slumber.
1825. Jennings, Observ. Dial. W. Eng., Zwodder, a drowsy and stupid state of body or mind.
1847. Halliwell, Zwodder, drowsy and dull. West.
1854. G. Williams, Gloss., in N. & Q., 1st Ser. X. 400. Swothered, stifled.
1873. Williams & Jones, Somerset. Gloss., Swather, or Swother v., to faint.
