▪ I. swarthy, a.1
(ˈswɔːðɪ, ˈswɔːθɪ)
[Obscure variant of swarty: cf. swarth a., swarf a., swarfish, swarfy.]
Of a dark hue; black or blackish; dusky. a. gen. = swart a. 1 a.
| 1577 [implied in swarthiness]. 1596 Gosson Quippes Upstart Gentlewom. 99 in Hazl. E.P.P. IV. 254 The swarthie-blacke, the grassie-greene, The pudding-red, the dapple graie. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. i. Wks. 1856 I. 16 Swarthy darknesse popt out Phoebus eye. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 596 Search his Mouth; and if a swarthy Tongue Is underneath his humid Palate hung [etc.]. 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 35 From a swarthy crimson to a bright rose colour. 1827 Heber Europe 270 The swarthy vintage. 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 269 Like some full-breasted swan That..takes the flood With swarthy webs. |
b. of or in reference to the complexion: = swart a. 1 b.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. vi. 26 Siluia..Shewes Iulia but a swarthy Ethiope. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster v. i, Let our Roman eagles flie On swarthy ægypt. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 14 The people are of a swarthy darke colour. 1638–56 Cowley Davideis iii. 178 Your Name..That to rich Ophirs rising Morn is knowne, And stretcht out far to the burnt swarthy Zone. 1744 Mitchell in Phil. Trans. XLIII. 122 If we proceed from the swarthiest white Person to the palest Egyptian, from thence to the fairest Mustee, Molatto, Moor, &c. to the darkest Indian. 1833 Tennyson Dream Fair Women xxxii, A queen, with swarthy cheeks and bold black eyes. 1879 S. C. Bartlett Egypt to Pal. xxv. 493 Six swarthy Arabs pulled our oars as we headed north. |
c. fig. ‘Black’, ‘dark’, malignant, dismal: cf. swart a. 3.
| 1651 J. S. Prince of Priggs Revels iii. 9 You (Parson)..Black best becomes your swarthy function Whose Doctrine..damns more souls Then Lucifer by all his stratagems. 1756 T. Amory Buncle (1825) I. 2 My lot has been a swarthy one in this first state. |
d. Comb.
| 1587 Turberv. Trag. Tales (1837) 31 A hydeous knight, to seeming swarthie hewde. 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2433/4 A swarthy Complexioned Boy. 1891 Doyle White Company xxiv, A raw-boned, swarthy-cheeked man. |
Hence † swarthy v. trans., to make swarthy.
| 1663 Cowley Cutter Colman St. iv. vi, Now will I and my Man John swarthy our Faces over as if that Country's Heat had made 'em so. |
▪ II. † swarthy, a.2 Obs. rare—1.
[f. swarth n.1 + -y.]
= swardy.
| 1613 [Standish] New Direct. Planting 8 The best way to inclose, is (if it be in swarthy grounds) to set [etc.]. |