Obs. Forms: 3 swoȝ, 4 swouȝ, swoue, swouh, sogh, 4–5 swough(e, swogh(e, swow(e, 5 swowgh, swowȝe, sowe, 6 Sc. swoch. [app. arising from the analysis of ASWOUGH, ASWOW as = a swough, a swow: cf. SWOW pa. pple. and v.1]
1. A swoon.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 484. Til he fel dun on dedes swoȝ.
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 1563. Whan he awakede of þat swouȝ, Þe tronsoun eft to him a drouȝ.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 215. What she said more in þat swow I mai nat telle ȝow as now.
a. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 135. His flesch is smite wiþ deþes þarmes, And swelteþ heer in a swemly swouh [c. 1425 swow].
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3551. He … felle to þe ground In a swyme & a swogh, as he swelt wold.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 14. Whan of his swow As a man amasyd he sodeynly dede abreyde.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xv. 68. As I lay in a swogh.
b. phr. To fall on, in swough: to swoon. (Cf. next.)
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 1309. Terri fel þer doun and [? = an] swouȝ.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 87. Reuliche gan he rore … & fel doun on swowe.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 4376. And thei of Troye bakward drowe; And many fel ded In sowe.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., III. 1214. Wyth þese swete wordes sche fel in swow.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 1634. Than was the quene glad I-noghe Whan she saw launcelot du lake, That nyghe for Ioy she felle in swoughe.
2. A state of sleep or trance.
c. 1403. Clanvowe, Cuckow & Night., 87. I fel in suche a slomber and a swow, Not al a-slepe, ne fully wakinge.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., III. 649. Whan þat same Adam slepte in a swow, Oure lord oute of his syde þan made Eue.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. i. 62. The profund swoch of sleip had thaim ourtayne.
