▪ I. sweven, n. Obs. exc. arch.
(ˈswɛv(ə)n)
Forms: 1 swefen (suoefn, soefn, swæfn), 1, 3 swefn, (3 suefen, sweoven), 4–5 swefene, sueven(e, swevene, (4 squeven, -yn, -in, 4–5 swevon, 5 swevn, swyven, swene, sween, sweine, sweyne), 5–6 swevin, (5 swevyn, 6 Sc. swewyn, sweving, -yng), 6–8 sweaven, (7 sweeven), 3– sweven.
[OE. swef(e)n str. neut., sleep, dream = OS. sweƀan str. m., ON. svefn str. m.:—OTeut. *swefno-:—Indo-eur. *swepno-, f. swep-.
The parallel formations *swepno-, swopno-, supno- are represented outside Teutonic by Skr. svápnas, Gr. ὕπνος, L. somnus, Arm. khun, OIr. suan, W. hun, OSl. sŭnŭ, Lith. sãpnas; and, with secondary suffix, Skr. svápn(i)yam, Gr. ἐν-ύπνιον, L. somnium, OSl. sŭnĭje. From Indo-eur. swep-: swop-: swup- are derived also Skr. svápiti to sleep, L. sopor sleep, OE. swefan (see sweve), OSl. sŭpati to sleep.]
1. A dream, vision.
| c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xvi. 101 For ðære ᵹesihðe ðe he on ðæm swefne ᵹeseah. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. i. 20 In somnis, in suoefnum vel in slepe. a 1000 Cædmon's Dan. 496 (Gr.) Him wearð on slæpe swefen ætywed. c 1205 Lay. 25552 Alse þe king slepte, A sweuen him imette, Feorlic wes þat sweouen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 268 Hit bringeð to nout alle þes deofles wieles..as lease swefnes, & false scheauwinges. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 224 God dede ðat he on sweuene cam, And in ðat sweuene he let him sen Mikel ðat after sulde ben. c 1305 St. Kenelm 147 in E.E.P. (1862) 51 Þis sueuene bicom soþ ynouȝ. c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 101 Allas and konne ye been agast of sweuenys No thyng god woot, but vanitee in sweuene is. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1668 A merueylle swene he dude þo mete. 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. 199 Manasses..beleuyd swenys and sorsrie. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 3226 In stronge sweyneys I haue bene stad. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xiii. 53 Alle that herd of the sweuen said it was a token of grete batayll. ? a 1500 Chester Pl., Balaam 382 Then shold our childre prophesie, ould men meet swevens [v.r. sweens] wytterly. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. xii. 64 The figour fled as lycht wynd, or son beyme, Or mast liklie a waverand sweving [v.r. sweuin] or dreyme. c 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 65, I looked all my chamber round about, And called to remembraunce all my sweven. 1594 Zepheria iii, I as out of sweauen, My selfe gan rowse, like one from sleepe awaked. a 1643 W. Cartwright Ordinary ii. ii. (1651) 26 Dan Cupido Sure sent thylke sweven to mine head. a 1650 St. Aldringa 77 in Hales & Furniv. Percy Folio I. 169, I had thought sweuens had neuer been true. a 1650 Robin Hood & Guy of Gisborne iv, Sweauens are swift, master..As the wind that blowes ore a hill. a 1832 Motherwell Poems, Sabbath Summer Noon xx, Fast fade the cares of life's dull sweven. 1840 Kingsley Weird Lady Poems (1892) 211 Mary Mother she stooped from heaven; She wakened Earl Harold out of his sweven. |
† 2. Sleep. Obs. rare.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 720 (Gr.) Hit wæs deaðes swefn..menniscra morð. |
| c 1645 Enquiry, &c. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) V. 503 If they [sc. swallows] should have no occasion for breath, while they lie in their sweeven, or winter-sleep. [Cf. swevet, quot. 1623.] |
▪ II. † sweven, v. Obs.
[OE. swefnian trans. to appear to in a dream, intr. to dream, f. swefn: see prec.]
intr. To dream.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 212 Ᵹif ðu swefnast ðe tweᵹe monan ᵹeseon. 1382 Wyclif Isa. xxix. 8 As sweueneth the hungrende, and eteth, whan forsothe he were wakid, voide is his soule. 14.. Langl. P. Pl. Prol. 10 (MS. Univ. Coll. e. 45), I slombride on a slepynge & sweuenyd so myrie, Þan gan y to mete a merueylous sweuene. 1532 Chaucer's Wks., Troylus iii. 1190 If ye be wyse Sweueneth [MSS. swouneth, etc.] not nowe, leste more folke aryse. |
Hence † ˈswevener (also 6 Sc. suengour, swevyngeour), a dreamer.
| 1382 Wyclif Jer. xxvii. 9 Ȝoure profetus, and deuynoures, and sweueneres. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 171 Suengouris [v.r. swevyngeouris] that slummeris nocht weil. |