Forms: 5 syn-, 5–6 sincopis, 6 cincopis (5–6 -in, 6 -yne); 6–7 syncopa; anglicized 7 sincop, 8 syncop; 7– syncope. [In earliest use, sincopis, incorrect nom. inferred from sincopin (so in 13th c. OF.), orthographic var. of syncopēn, acc. of late L. syncopē (also syncopa), a. Gr. συγκοπή, f. σύν SYN- + κοπ-, stem of κόπτειν to strike, beat, cut off, weary. The current form is based directly on the Gr. (Cf. It., Sp., Pg. sincopa.) For the disyllabic syncop, cf. F. syncope.]
1. Path. Failure of the heart’s action, resulting in loss of consciousness, and sometimes in death.
In quot. 1750 in extended sense, suspension of vitality.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 197. If þere falle ony þing to him as syncopis. Ibid., 205. Sumtyme it makiþ a man to haue sincopin.
1525. [see SWOWING vbl. sb.].
1527. Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, M j. The same water is very good agaynst fayntnes and dasyng named Sincopis.
1541. Bk. Properties Herbs, H iv. Rose water is good for the Syncopyne. Ibid., I iv b. It is good for … the Synacop [? mispr. for Syncopa].
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health, I iv. It doth wonderfully comfort in all kinde syncope.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 88. Syncope is a solution of the spirits which forsake the heart.
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xxxii. 272. As if she were in a swounding Lipothymy, benumming Sincop.
1713. Gentl. Instructed, I. (ed. 5), Suppl. ii. p. xi. Some affirm … that she had certainly expired of a Syncop, had she not [etc.].
1750. Phil. Trans., XLVII. 54. They [sc. flies and butterflies] came to life after a syncope of longer duration.
1836. Marryat, Japhet, lxxix. I found poor Mrs. Cophagus in a state of syncope.
1877. F. T. Roberts, Handbk. Med. (ed. 3), I. 13. Death beginning at the heart is said to be … by syncope.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VI. 543. In Raynaud’s disease spasmodic contraction of the arteries occurs in the stage of ‘local syncope.’
fig. a. 1631. Sir J. Skeffington, Heroe of Lorenzo (1652), 9. The weaknes of our Wills are the Syncopes of Reputation.
1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., iv. (1872), 138. Defenders of the hypocrisies, the spiritual vampires … under which England lies in syncope.
1855. Motley, Corr. (1889), I. vi. 184. Five centuries after the fall of the Western Empire … lasted the syncope, the comatose trance of Europe.
2. Gram. = SYNCOPATION 1. Now rare.
1530. Palsgr., 392. In the future indycatyve and present potenciall I fynde somtyme syncopa used, as pouruoyray … for pouruoyeray.
1579. E. K., Gloss Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., May, 61. Nas, is a syncope, for ne has, or has not: as nould for would not.
1679. Alsop, Melius Inq., I. i. 45. Augustin (or rather Austin; for his Name as well as his Fame suffers a Syncope).
1764. Swinton, in Phil. Trans., LIV. 419. Instances of such a syncope, or extrusion,… are not seldom found in … the Old Testament.
1903. Winbolt, Lat. Hexam. Verse, 212. Syncope, or the shortening of a word by dropping a short vowel between consonants, a usage frequent in prose.
† 3. Mus. = SYNCOPATION 3. Obs.
1653. Ld. Brouncker, trans. Des Cartes’ Compend. Mus., 53. In these Tunes Dissonances are frequently used instead of Consonances; which is effected two wayes, viz. by Diminution, or Syncope. Ibid., 54. A Syncopa is, when the end of one Note in one voice is heard at the same time with the beginning of one other Note of an adverss part.
1659. C. Simpson, Division-Violist, I. 16. A Greater Fourth, or Defective Fifth, hath this priviledge … to be joyned, sometimes, to the Basse, without Syncope, or Binding.
1795. Mason, Ch. Mus., iv. 249. Syncopes and other foolish artifices.
¶ The following explanation (translated from the Dict. de Trévoux), which is repeated in some later Dicts., appears to be an error.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., Syncope, in Music, signifies the Division of a Note; used when two or more Notes of one Part answer to a single Note of the other Part. [Omitted in later edd.]
4. A cutting short; abbreviation, contraction; sudden cessation or interruption, rare.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Common Place, Wks. (1677), 161. Give me lieve by a less Syncope of Time to contract Good Friday and Easter both to a day.
1679. [see 2].
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 80. Revelry, and dance, and show, Suffer a syncope and solemn pause.
1835. T. Mitchell, Aristoph., Acharn., Introd. p. xix. A fourth and fifth campaign, and still no sign of syncope or pause.
