verb. (old).—1. To make a noise: see quot. 1662. Hence SWASH-BUCKLER (SWASH, SWASHER or SWINGE-BUCKLER) = a sworder good at a lively peal on his opposite’s target; and, therefore, by implication, a ruffler, bully, Hector. As subs. = bluster, vapouring, roaring; SWASHING (or SWASHY) = (1) noisy (a SWASHING blow); and (2) = loud-mouthed and quarrelsome.
1560. PILKINGTON, Works [Parker Society], 151. A drunkard, a whore-hunter, a gamer, a SWASH-BUCKLER, a ruffian to waste his money in proud apparel.
1577–87. HOLINSHED, Chronicle of Ireland, 87. Whereby a man maie see how manie bloudie quarels a bralling SWASHBUCKLER maie picke out of a bottle of haie, namelie when his braines are forebitten with a bottle of nappie ale.
1582. STANYHURST, Æneis, ii. 220. Their tayls with croompled knot twisting SWASHLYE they wrigled.
1595. SHAKESPEARE, Romeo and Juliet, i. 1. Sampson. Draw, if you be men.—Gregory, remember thy SWASHING blow. Ibid. (1598), 2 Henry IV., iii. 2. 24. Shallow. … You had not four such SWINGE-BUCKLERS in all the Inns o’ Court again. Ibid. (1599), Henry V., iii. 2. Boy. As young as I am, I have observed these three SWASHERS [Nym, Pistol, and Bardolph]. I am boy to them all three.
| Ibid. (1600), As You Like It, i. 3. | |
| We’ll have a SWASHING and a martial outside; | |
| As many other mannish cowards have. |
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, 74. A bravo, a SWASH-BUCKLER, one that for mony and good cheere will follow any man to defend him and fight for him, but if any danger come, he runs away the first and leaves him in the lurch. Ibid., 127. To fence, TO SWASH with swords, to swagger.
1609. HOLLAND, Ammianus Marcellinus, 327. Leo, a Notarie afterwards, master of the Offices, a very SWASH-BUCKLER at every funerall, a knowne robber, and a Pannonian; one who breathed foorth of his savage mouth crueltie, and yet was neverthelesse greedie still of mans bloud.
1611. CORYATE, Crudities, I. 54. Their men are very Ruffians & SWASHBUCKLERS, having exceeding long blacke haire curled, and swords or other weapons by their sides.
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Bravache. A roister, cutter, swaggerer, SWASH BUCKLER, one thats ever vaunting of his owne valour.
1625. JONSON, The Staple of News, v. 1. I do confess a SWASHING blow.
1636. HEYWOOD, Love’s Mistress, ii. 1. Clo. Ille ipse, the same; I desire no more than this sheep hook in my hand to encounter with that SWASH BUCKLER.
1637. DAVENANT, Britannia Triumphans [NARES]. With courtly knights, not roaring country SWASHES.
1662. FULLER, Worthies, ‘London.’ A ruffian is the same with a swaggerer, so called, because endeavouring to make that side to swag or weigh down whereon he ingageth. The same also with SWASHBUCKLER, from swashing or making a noise on bucklers.
1662. Ovid de Arte Amandi, 117.
| Or score out Husbands in the charcoal ashes, | |
| With Country Knights, not roring Country SWASHES. |
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 143. The lovely Aurora metamorphosed herself in a twinkling, and resumed her SWASHING outside.
