swith, adv. arch. or dial. (in later use chiefly Sc.)
(swɪθ)
Forms: α. 1–3 swiðe, 1–4 swyðe, 1–5 swiþe, 2–3 swuðe, 2–4 suithe, suythe, (2 swuþe, 3 swðe), 3–4 suyþe, 4 (Ayenb.) zuyþe, 4–5 swyþe, suiþe, (swyde ?), (4 squiþe, squyþe, 4–5 squythe, 5 squithe, sqwithe), 4–6 swythe, 3–5, 9 arch. and rare swithe. β. 3 swuð ?, 4 suiþ, (suit, squyþ, compar. swyþþer), 4, 6 Sc. suith, suyth, 4–5, 6 Sc. swyth, 5 swiþ, (Sc. swycht), 5–6 Sc. swyith, (6 Sc. switht), 4–6, 8 Sc., 9 arch. and Sc. swith.
[OE. sw{iacu}ðe = OS. swîðo (MLG. swide, swît), OFris. swîthe, swîde, OHG., MHG. swinde (later swint, schwind(t), mod.G. geschwind, dial. schwind-e), adv. of Com. Teut. adj. represented by OE. sw{iacu}þ strong (surviving in ME. only in the compar. swither) = OS. swîði, swîð strong, powerful, sudden (MLG. swîde, swît), OHG., MHG. swinde strong, rapid (as the second element in many personal names, as Wolfswind, Amalswind), early mod.G. schwind-e, ON. svinnr swift, quick, wise, Goth. swinþs strong; of doubtful origin.
The normal modern representative of OE. sw{iacu}ðe would have been (swaɪð). The reduction of ME. swīthë to one syllable (swiːð) took place first in the north (Cursor Mundi). Evidence of normal shortening of the stem-vowel in the compar. swyþþer appears late in the 14th cent.; there is no clear evidence of shortening in the positive till late in the 16th cent.]
† 1. Qualifying a finite verb or a participle: Strongly, forcibly; very greatly, very much, extremely, excessively; in superl. most, most especially.
| Beowulf 997 (Gr.) Wæs þæt beorhte bold tobrocen swiðe. 971 Blickl. Hom. 223 Þæs he wæs ðonne ealles swiþost to herᵹenne. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 959 He wearð wide, ᵹeond þeodland, swiðe ᵹeweorðad. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 119 We sculen hine efre mid alle ure heorte..herian and swiþest on þissere halie tide. a 1225 Ancr. R. 178 Ȝif eni ancre is þet ne veleð none uondunges, swuð drede hire iðet point, þet heo beo ouer muchel & ouer swuðe ivonded. c 1230 Hali Meid. 39 Hit ah meiden to eggi þe swiðre þer framward. c 1320 Cast. Love 1039 Þe fend wondrede swiþe, and seide ‘What artou?’ 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 987 Wyth lyȝt louez vplyfte þay loued hym swyþe. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 479, I wil not greve þe to swiþe [Caxton swyth]. 1398 ― Barth. De P.R. iv. xi. (Tollem. MS.) Hete worcheþ ful swyþe [orig. nimis] in þe substaunce of flewme and brenneþ it. |
† 2. Qualifying an
adj. or
adv.: Excessively, extremely, very.
Obs.| 971 Blickl. Hom. 27 He hine lædde upon swiþe hea dune. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. vii. 13 Se weᵹ is swyþe rum þe to forspillednesse ᵹelæt. 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1140 Hit ward sone suythe god pais. c 1250 Hymn Virgin 2 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 257 Moder milde flur of alle Þu ert leuedi swuþe treowe. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 5616 Þe king..auised hym suiþe wel, wat man it were. c 1375 Cursor M. 14335 (Fairf.) Vn-til his fader he made a bone & he hit herde squiþe sone. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 293 Þe water of þat welle is swiþe good for men and nouȝt for wommen. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 2 In Rome was an emperour, A man of swyth mikil honur. c 1450 Hymns Virgin, etc. (1867) 119 The iiijte day ys swythe longe, With wepynge & wyth sorow amonge. |
3. At a rapid rate, very quickly, swiftly, rapidly. Now
arch. or
dial.| α c 1205 Lay. 28469 Ut of Eouerwike..heo iwende, & touward Karliun tuhte, Swa swithe swa heo mahte. 13.. K. Alis. 5540 (Laud MS.) To his folk he com ful swiþe, And of his comyng hij weren bliþe. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1424 Þe howndez..hastid þider swyþe. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxiii. 150 It es ane of þe swythest rynnand waters of þe werld. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 744 Þe day passiþ swiþe. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 39 Late hem nowt sethe to swythe, & þan lat hem kele. |
| β a 1352 Minot Poems v. 67 Þe schipmen of Ingland sailed ful swith Þat none of þe Normandes fro þam might skrith. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 816 Olyuer sone y-seȝ þat cas, & swyþþer bi-gan to haste. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13156 Whan I hade lengit qwile me list, I launchit on swith. c 1400 Beryn 583 The Pardoner ran so swith, þe panne fil hym fro. c 1450 Holland Howlat 171 Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of swar. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head & Trotters 40 But daffin jigs, an' sangs, an' tales, Sped far too swith the hours on. |
4. Quickly, without delay, forthwith, instantly, immediately, directly, at once. Also as
int. = Quick! hence! away! Now
arch. or
dial.| α c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Stala and steorfa swiðe eow scal hene. c 1205 Lay. 25794 We þe scullen fusen to, swa we hit swiðest maȝen don [c 1275 so swiþe so we mawe do]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 236 Go & slep swiðe. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1086 Ðis angeles..Bid him, or day, redi ben And swiðe ut ðis burȝes flen. c 1300 Havelok 140 He sende writes sone on-on..That he shulden comen swiþe Til him, that was ful vnbliþe. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 921 Aftur swaginge of swinc swiþe comeþ ioie. 1388 Wyclif John xiii. 27 That thing that thou doist, do thou swithe. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxv, He stroke him sadde and sore, Squithe sqounut he thore. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1116 ‘Swith’, he seith, ‘that this be done.’ 1575 Gammer Gurton i. iv, That chal gammer swythe and tyte, and sone be here agayn. 1907 J. Davidson Triumph Mammon v. ii, Wherefore upon rebellion swithe I loosed With my own hand the reservoir of death. |
| β a 1300 Cursor M. 1902 Sco went forth and com ful suith [rime eftsith]. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 316 Till armys swyth, and makys ȝow ȝar! c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxx, Sethun thay busket hom ȝare, Sqwith with owtun any mare. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 625 Let him swyith in. 1513 Douglas æneis i. ii. 61 Switht the cluddis, hevin, sone, and days licht Hid. 1528 Lyndesay Dreme 971 Swyith, harlote, hy the hence. 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 58 Then called I the Shoemaker and Smyth, The Tanner, Graisier, and the Vintener; Who ready were at hand and came full swith. 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 129 Pray thee (good Billy) tell me swith and soone, Iockie may doe what Billy late has done. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. iv. i, Swith tak him deel, he's our lang out of hell! 1788 Burns ‘Louis, what reck I by thee’ ii, Kings and nations—swith, awa! 1805 Scott Last Minstr. iv. xxii, My Ladye reads you swith return. 1838 J. Struthers Poetic Tales 20 Swith he left his pipe and plaid. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith, Winter viii, Swith to the fleer ilk eager chiel Bangs wi' his lass to start the reel. |
† b. as (als, also) swithe as (
als swither), as soon as.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 8167 (Cott.) Alsuith sum [Gött. also suith as] he þat king had knaun, He said, ‘sir welcum to þin aun.’ c 1400 Gamelyn 541 (Harl. MS.) As swithe as thei haddyn wroken hem on her foon. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xliv, Als squithur thay ar ȝare, To masse ar thay wente. |
† c. ellipt.: see alswithe 2,
aswithe = as soon as possible, at once, immediately.
Obs.