▪ I. † swope, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 swapan, 3–5 swope, 4 Ayenb. zuope, 5 swoope, 6 suope. pa. tense 1 sweop, 4 swepe, 9 dial. swap(e. pa. pple. 1 swapen, 3–4 swopen, 4 isuope, iswope, swope, swpen, 4–5 yswope(n, 9 dial. swapen; weak 5 yswoped, iswoped, 5 swoped, -it.
[OE. swápan, pa. tense swéop, pa. pple. swápen to sweep with a broom, brandish (a sword), intr. to rush, dash, = OS. *swêpan, only in pa. tense farswêp swept away, OFris. swêpa to sweep, OHG. sweifan to set in circular motion, wind, (MHG. sweifen, pa. tense swief, G. schweifen intr. to rove, ramble, trans. to sweep in a curve, etc., winnow), ON. sveipa, pa. tense sveip, usually wk. sveipaða, pa. pple. sveipinn, f. Teut. root swaip- (whence also the causative vbs. MHG. sweifen, G. schweifen to swing, ON. sveipa, sveipta to throw, sling, wrap; see also swaip, swape). For representatives of the weak grade of the root see swepe, swift, swip, swipper.]
To sweep.
1. trans. = sweep v. 1, 7, 13.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Lambeth) lxxvi[i]. 6 Ic sweop minne gast [scobebam spiritum meum]. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxviii. (Z.) 169 Uerro, ic swape. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 87 He..cumeð þerto & fint hit emti & mid beseme clene swopen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 314 Ȝif hit dusteð swuðe, heo vlaskeð water þeron, & swopeð hit ut awei efter al þet oðer. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6945 Me broȝte vorþ þis fury [= fiery] ssares and leide is al arewe In þe bar erþe isuope. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 2193 Þe flore was swopen clene. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 102 Ȝif schrift schulde hit þenne swopen out. 1408–17 in Rec. St. Mary at Hill Introd. p. xcvi, The church and the chauncell flore most be..fayre swoped with a Besom. 14.. Chaucer's Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 385 The mullok on an heep yswoped [v.rr. iswoped, yswopen, sweped, iswepid, yswepped] was. c 1480 Henryson Mor. Fab., Cok & Jasp. ii, Iowellis ar tint..Vpon the flure, and swopit furth anone. a 1800 Pegge Suppl. Grose (1814), Swoop, the Preterit of Sweep. North. 1862 [C. C. Robinson] Dial. Leeds, Swap, p.t. of sweep. ‘Swap it off wi' his arm.’ 1876 Holderness Gloss., Swape, p.t. of to sweep. Swapen, p.p. of to sweep. |
2. intr. = sweep v. 22, 23.
| a 1000 Boeth. Metr. vii. 20 Hus on munte..on swift wind swapeð. a 1000 Cædmon's Exod. 480 (Gr.) Brim..wide wæðde, wælfæðmum sweop. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 341 Þenne he swepe to þe sonde in sluchched cloþes. a 1552 Leland Itin. (1768) VII. 83 Kenet towchithe the Towne withe his lifte Ripe suopinge in a low Botom. |
Hence † ˈswopen ppl. a., swept.
| 13.. S.E. Leg. (MS. Bodl. 779) in Herrig Archiv LXXXII. 318/451 Vppon þe swpen grounde eche nyȝt he lay. |
▪ II. † swope, n. and v.2
Also 7 swoup.
Obs. or dial. form of sup n.1 and v.1
| [1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 81 The Germans..serue to the Table sower Cabbages, which they call Crawt, and beere (or wine for a dainty) boyled with bread, which they call Swoope.] Ibid. 86 They will spend an Age in swoping and sipping. 1639 R. Junius Sinne Stigmatizd 316 Pledge me quickly, and carouse it off every swoup. 1807 R. Anderson Cumbld. Ball. 116, I wish I'd but seav'd a swope geuseberry wine. |
▪ III. swope
obs. f. soap, sope, swap, swoop.