▪ I. † swip, n.1 Obs.
Also swipe, pl. swippes.
[f. swip v.]
1. A stroke, blow; = swap n. 1.
| c 1205 Lay. 7648 Nas næuere þe ilke bern þe auere iboren weoren Þat of þen ilke sweorde enne swipe [c 1275 swip] hefde..Þat he nes sone dæd. Ibid. 16498 Þa swipen weoren grimme. c 1275 Ibid. 28551 Drowen sweorde longe and smiten on þe healmes..þe swippes were bitere. |
2. Forcible movement; a rush.
| c 1205 Lay. 31925 Þa fusden touward sæ fifti þusende baldere beornen..Mid þan formeste swipen [c 1275 swipe] her comen þreo hundred scipen. |
▪ II. † swip, n.2 Obs.
[App. shortened f. sweep n.]
= swape 3, sweep n. 24, swipe n.1
| 1639 Horn & Rob. Gate Lang. Unl. liii. §583 A man may draw with a swip, and a scoop or a bucket. 1657 C. Beck Univ. Char. L 5, A swip to draw water. |
▪ III. † swip, v. Obs.
Forms: 3–4 swippe, 4–5 swyppe, (5 squyppe), 7 swip; pa. tense 3 swipte, suipte, 4 swypped, swypte, 7 swipte; pa. pple. 3 i-swipt.
[ME. swippen, pa. tense swipte, pointing to OE. *swippan, by the side of *swipian (recorded only in 3rd pers. ind. sweopaþ, and doubtfully in pa. tense swipode); f. swip-, represented also by OE. swipu, swipe scourge, ON. svipa whip (see swepe), svipr sudden sweeping movement, glimpse, fleeting appearance, svipa to swoop, flash, refl. to glance after or at, OHG. swipfen to move quickly in a curve, MG. -swif (gen. -swiffes) quick turning, in nider-, ummeswif; related to swaip- (see swope v.1).]
1. trans. To strike, hit, smite. (Cf. swap v. 1, 1 b.)
| c 1205 Lay. 878 Ich wulle mid swerde his heued of swippen. Ibid. 16518 [He] mid muchelere strengðe hine adun swipte. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2452 He..hef þet hatele sweord up, & swipte hire of þet heaued. |
b. To wield (a weapon) forcibly, esp. in a downward direction.
| c 1205 Lay. 23978 Arður..his sweord Caliburne swipte mid maine. c 1275 Ibid. 16510 [He] heȝe hefde his sweorde and hit adun swipte. |
c. intr. To deal a blow at. rare.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 201 Cristis disciplis..liȝten on þe corner stoon..and þanne fendis of helle dreden hem to swippen at hem. |
2. intr. To move with haste or violence; to make a dash; to slip away, escape. (Cf. swap v. 4.)
| c 1205 Lay. 28956 Þer weoren twenti and æhte of eorlene streone Suipten from londe seouen hundred scipene. a 1225 Ancr. R. 252 Ine swifte wateres..þe þet is isundred, he is sone iswipt forð. c 1275 Lay. 27627 Ridwalþan his sweord droh and swipte to þan kinge. 13.. S.E. Leg. (MS. Bodl. 779) in Herrig Archiv LXXXII. 309/148 Moyses hadde a ȝerd, & to þe ground it cast: anon it worþ an addre & gan to swype fast. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1253 Alle þat swypped vnswolȝed of þe sworde kene. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2196 When þe saul fra þe body swippes. |
| fig. a 1500 Bernardus de cura rei fam., etc. (E.E.T.S.) iii. 214 Þow swerys wonder Swyftly, & Swyppe may it euer. |
Hence † ˈswipping vbl. n., striking; ppl. a., moving quickly.
| c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 55 (Ireland MS.) The squyppand watur, that squytherly [read squyperly] squoes. a 1450 [see swipple 2]. |