Now arch. and dial. Also 6–7 swounde, swond, 7 (9 dial.) swoond. [See prec.] intr. To swoon, faint.
1530. Palsgr., 745/2. I swounde, je me espaume.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), II. 1031/1. In the tyme of his tormentyng he swonded [ed. 1576 swounded].
1590. Barrough, Meth. Phisick, I. xv. (1639), 23. Take heed you let him not bleed until he swond.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xl. 159. I and my fellows were ready to swoond for very astonishment.
1685. R. Burton, Eng. Emp. Amer., ii. 35. They instantly swounded away for want of Air.
1821. W. Gifford, in Smiles, Mem. J. Murray (1891), II. xxi. 55. I thought … that both the damsels would have swounded.
1873. [J. Spilling], Molly Miggs, etc. (1903), 22. I wor that terrified that I fell down … and swounded right off.
fig. 1603. Dekker, Wonderful Year, C j b. (Our fruitfull souereigne) Iames, at whose dread name Rebellion swounded.
Hence Swounding vbl. sb. (also attrib.) and ppl. a.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), I. 307. The swondyng of the Prior before the kyng.
1597. Breton, Auspicante Jehona Wks. (Grosart), II. 6/1. Ouercome with the comfort of Thy vnspeakable kindenes, in the swounding traunce of the treasure of Thy loue. Ibid. (1615), Characters vpon Ess., Loue. In the swounding delight of his sacred Inspiration.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 253. Light faintings, desperate swoondings.
1650. Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Man bec. Guilty, 337. Those who feared that the Suns swounding did foretoken the world’s end.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 17. She fell into divers fits of swounding.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., III. xxii. 394. Motherwort, it is good in swounding fits [etc.].
1843. Landor, Imag. Conv., O. Cromwell, Wks. 1846, II. 228/1. With a sad sinking of spirit, to the pitch well-nigh of swounding.
1854. Mrs. Gaskell, North & S., xix. I’m all in a swounding daze to-day.
1901. N. Munro, Doom Castle, xxxi. His temporary sense of swounding helplessness.
