† sweight north. dial. and Sc. Obs.
In 5 sweght, sweyght, 6 (9) Sc. swecht.
[app. f. sweȝ- (repr. by the early forms of sway v.) + -t suffix3 a.]
‘The force of a body in motion’ (Jam.); impetus.
| 14.. Chaucer's Troylus ii. 1383 (MS. St. John's Camb.) Whan that the sturdy ook..Receyued hath the happy fallynge strooke The grete sweyght [also Harl. 1239; v.rr. sweigh, swey, sweyf, swough] makith it come al at ones. c 1440 York Myst. xxxiii. 362 Swete may þis swayne for sweght of our swappes! 1513 Douglas æneis ix. ix. 36 Tho wyth thar swechtis, as thai reyll and leipe, The byrnand towyr doun rollis with a rusche. Ibid. xii. xi. 159 Like as the gret roch crag..Is maid to fall and tumble with all his swecht. [1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 173 Round him they rush't, and push't, and pecht To overturn him wi' their swecht.] |
b. fig. (See quot.)
| a 1800 Pegge Suppl. Grose (1814), Sweight, the greatest part of any thing. North. |