▪ I. † swepe, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 swipu, swipe (suib-, swiop-, suiop-, sweop-, suyppu, swypu), 2–4 swepe, (2 swupe, 4 suepe, 5 swip).
[OE. swipu str. fem., swipe wk. fem., corresp. to ON. svipa str. fem., whip, f. weak grade of Teut. swaip-: sweip-: swip-: see swope v.1 and cf. swaip, swape.]
A scourge, whip.
| a 700 Epinal Gloss. 641 Mastigia, suipan [Erfurt suibae]. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. John ii. 15 Cum fecisset quasi flagellum de funiculis, miððy ᵹiworhte swelce swiopa [Ags. Gosp. swipe] of rapun. a 1000 Sal. & Sat. 121 (Gr.) Swiðmode sweopan. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 231 Mid gode repples and stiarne swepen. Ibid. 239 Þe weregede gastes þe hine uniredlice underfangeð min stiarne swupen. c 1200 Ormin 15565 Crist himm wrohhte an swepe þær..& draf hemm alle samenn ut. a 1300 Cursor M. 19355 For þan wit suepes þai þam suang, And scurged sare, þai let þam gang. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxiii. 470 Blo and blody thus am I bett, Swongen with swepys and alle to-swett. |
▪ II. † swepe, n.2 Obs.
[Obscure; possibly an early instance of sweep n. in fig. sense.]
? Scope, significance (of a dream).
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2086 ‘Me wore leuere’, quad Ioseph, ‘Of eddi dremes rechen swep.’ Ibid. 2112. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 248 For þai can swyth of a sweuyn all þe swepe telle. |
▪ III. † swepe, v. Obs.
Also 8 Sc. sweap.
[? f. swepe n.1 or ad. ON. svipa to whip. Cf. swip v.]
trans. To scourge. Also † sweping vbl. n.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxxiv. [xxxv.] 15 Samened on me swepinges [L. flagella]. Ibid. xxxvii[i]. 18 [17] In swepinges am I dight. 1710 Ruddiman Gloss. Douglas' æneis s.v. Swipper, Sweap, Scot.,..signifying to scourge. |