Obs. Forms: α. 1 ʓeswoʓen, 3 iswoȝe(n, 3–4 iswowe(n, ysown, swoune, 5 suoun. β. 3 isuowe, isuoȝe, 3–4 yswowe, yswoȝe, 4 isowe, ysow(e, ysowȝ, swowe, swoghe. [OE. ʓeswoʓen. Cf. ASWOON, ASWOUGH, ASWOW(E.] Fainting, in a swoon: orig. and chiefly in predicative use with fall.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xii. 63. [He] began to etenne; he feoll þa æt ðære forman snæde underbecc ʓeswoʓen. Ibid. (c. 1000), Hom., II. 356. Se læʓ … ʓeswoʓen betwux ðam ofsleʓenum.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 196. Þæt hie syn sona ʓeswoʓene ʓif hie þone mete næbben.
c. 1205. Lay., 3074. Mid þære wræððe he wes isweued þat he feol iswowen [c. 1275 hi-swoȝe]. Ibid., 4516. Stille he wes iswoȝen [c. 1275 iswoȝe] on his kine-stole.
c. 1290. St. Clement, 173, in S. Eng. Leg., 327. Þis womman feol a-don i-swowe.
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 446. Þat emperur fel swowe adoun [MS. C. yn swowne downe].
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 222. Sleuþe for serwe fel doun I-swowene.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 583. Whon Eualac þat sauȝ, he fel to þe grounde, And Seraphe also, and boþe lye swoune.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2497. For hungre þai fulle y-sowe.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 477. Þe kyng was astonyed, and fil doun to þe grounde as þeyȝ he were i-sowe [MS. β. a swowe; MS. γ. y-swowe].
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 357. Mi dedly face pale and fade Becam, and swoune I fell to grounde.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., lxxiii. I … lent, amaisit verily, Half sleping and half suoun.
b. as ppl. a. ? ‘Dead’ (silence).
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 243. Al stouned at his steuen … In a swoghe sylence … As al were slypped vpon slepe.
