▪ I. † swon Obs.
Forms: 1 swan, 4 suan, 5 swan, swon.
[OE. swán swineherd = MLG. swên, swein herd, esp. swineherd, young man, LG. sween, swên, OHG. swein (G. dial. schwein), ON. sveinn boy, servant, whence swain (Sw. sven, Da. svend boy, lad):—OTeut. *swainaz, referred by some to root swa-, swe- oneself, and taken to mean orig. ‘a person belonging to oneself, adherent, attendant’.]
A swineherd.
| a 700 Epinal Gloss. 961 in O.E. Texts 92 Sabulcus..suan. 900–30 O.E. Chron. an. 755 (Parker MS.) He þær wunade oþ þæt hiene an swan ofstang æt Pryfetes flodan. 1395 Cartular. Abb. de Whiteby (Surtees) 614 Item j suan per xxiiij dies minanti plaustra .iiij.s. 1421 Coventry Leet Bk. 27 We commaund..that the Swan of this Cite drive the Swyne of this Cite to wastes and marreys a-bout this cite. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 1086 Thi swon may se their noumber & up saue Thoppressed pigge. |
▪ II. swon, swonne
obs. ff. swan, swoon.