▪ I. swither, n. Sc. and dial.
(ˈswɪðə(r))
Also 8–9 swidder (see Eng. Dial. Dict.).
[f. swither v.1]
1. A state of agitation or excitement; a flurry, fluster.
| a 1768 Gude Wallace xvii. in Child Ballads vi. 268 The gude wife ran but, the gude man ran ben, They pat the house all in a swither. 1785 Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook vi, I there wi' Something does forgather, That pat me in an eerie swither. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxxvi, She's been in a swither about the jocolate this morning, and was like to hae toomed it a' out into the slap-basin. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xix. 226 She told me..in what a swither she was in about her papa. |
2. A state of perplexity, indecision, or hesitation; doubt, uncertainty.
| 1719 Ramsay Epist. to Arbuckle 3 [He] stands some time in jumbled swither, To ride in this road, or that ither. 1788 E. Picken Poems 93 Doun in the yird thou e'en maun lie, Without a swither. 1838 J. Struthers Poetic Tales 47 Nae swither checked his onward step. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss-Hags xxxv. 253 ‘Mean!’ said he, ‘mean ―’ speaking vaguely as one in a swither. |
▪ II. † swither, a. Obs.
[OE. sw{iacu}þra, comp. of sw{iacu}þ strong: see swith adv.]
The right (hand, side, etc.).
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. v. 29 Oculus tuus dexter, eᵹo ðin suiðre. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 384 Nim eorþan, oferweorp mid þinre swiþran handa under þinum swiþran fet. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 229 Drihten..astah to heofene..& sit an þar swiðeran halfe his faðer. c 1205 Lay. 1548 Breid he mid swiðeren hond a sweord muchel & swide [v.r. swiðe] strong. |
▪ III. swither, v.1 Sc. and dial.
(ˈswɪðə(r))
Also 6 swider, sueidder, swydder, 6–9 swidder.
[Of uncertain origin.
Continuity or connexion with the foll. OE. words cannot be assumed with certainty: (ᵹe)-sweðrian, -swiðrian to abate, subside, dwindle, fail; ᵹesweð(e)rian, ᵹeswiðrian to cause to fail or disappear, weaken, destroy; swaðrian, swæðorian to subside; ᵹeswæðrung failure (of mind).]
intr. To be or become uncertain; to falter; to be perplexed or undecided; to hesitate.
| 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. iii. lv, Than on the wall ane garitour I considder, Proclamand loud that did thair hartis swidder. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 56 Quhilk causit mony for to sueit and swidder. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xx. 56 Lat na mans feid..Ȝour hartis mak to swidder. 1730 Ramsay Fables xx. viii, Our passions gods, that gar us swither. 17.. Johnnie Faa 56 in Child Ballads (1857) IV. 285 But the virtue o' a leal woman I trow wad never swither O. 1768 Ross Helenore ii. 88 There's nae time to swidder 'bout the thing. 1830 Galt Lawrie T. viii. v. (1849) 371 A child would not have swithered to step over it. 1881 Fraser's Mag. Jan. 136 Sir William Harcourt was supposed to be swithering under the dictation of certain federated societies which are powerful at Derby. 1889 Stevenson Master of B. iv. 101, I might have stood there swithering all night, had not the stranger turned. |
Hence ˈswithering vbl. n. and ppl. a.1
| a 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 1007 Considering the swidering [v.r. sueiddring] Ȝe fand me first into. 1834 Tait's Mag. I. 429/1 I have a swithering, and a leaning, and a hankering and relenting. 1902 N. Munro Children of Tempest iii, Without a moment's swithering he gave it [sc. the money] all to the Jesuits. 1917 Kipling ‘Holy War’ in Land & Water Christmas No., The Pope, the swithering Neutrals, The Kaiser and his Gott—..He knew and drew the lot. |
▪ IV. ˈswither, v.2 dial.
[a. ON. sviðra to burn, singe: see swithe v. and -er5. Cf. swithen.]
1. trans. = swithe v. 1; also intr. to burn. Hence ˈswithering ppl. a.2, scorching, parching.
| 1865 B. Brierley Irkdale xv. I. 239 Let it swither away like matchwood. 1886 S.W. Linc. Gloss., Swither, to parch, wither up. It's such a swithering day. The plants are quite swithered up. 1886 Rochdale Gloss., Swuther, to burst into a flame, as fire which has been smouldering. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss-Hags xxvi. 196 On that day of swithering heat. |
2. intr. = swithe v. 2.
| 1876 Whitby Gloss., Swither, to tingle... ‘A sair swithering an warking’, a sore tingling and aching. |