Sweng

Old English Dictionary Entry

Sweng

Old English Dictionary Entry

Part of speech: es; Related words: feorh-. heaðu-, heoru-, hete-, wæl-sweng. sweng

Definitions

1 sweng

m. A blow, stroke:--Sweng ictus, Ælfc. Gr. 11; Zup. 79, 6. Sweng oððe cnyssung ictus, 43; Zup. 255, 3. Eádweard ánne slóg swíþe mid his swurde, swenges ne wyrnde, Byrht. Th. 135, 15; By. 118. Hé hond swenge ne ofteáh, Beo. Th. 3045; B. 1520. Him for swenge swát ǽdrum sprong, 5924; B. 2966: 5365; B. 2686. Ic mé gúðbordes sweng gebearh, Cd. Th. 163, 5; Gen. 2693. Weras him ondrédon for ðære dǽde Drihtnes handa, sweng (the stroke, i. e. the punishment threatened if Sara were not returned to Abraham), 161, 26; Gen. 2671. Iacob swilt þrowode ðurg stenges sweng, Apostls. Kmbl. 143; Ap. 72. Hé feorbwunde hleát sweordes swengum, Beo. Th. 4761; B. 2386. Bord oft onféng ýða swengas oft the vessel's side received the billows' blows, Elen. Kmbl. 478; El. 239. [In later English the word is used in a metaphorical sense similar to that of stroke in modern English, and may be compared with M. H. Ger. swanc, swang a trick: Ger. schwank; cf. also Ger. streich = trick. To wrastlen aȝein þes deofles swenges, A. R. 80, 8. Ȝef ha etstonden wulleð mine unwreste wrenches ant mine swikele swenges, wrestlin ha moten wið ham seoluen, Marh. 14, 12. Ȝif tweie men goþ to wrastlinge . . . and þe on can swenges swiþe fele . . . and þe oþer ne can sweng bute ane, O. and N. 795. Cf. O. H. Ger. swanch swinging, stroke: M. H. Ger. swanc, swang: Ger. schwang.]

Runic Inscription

ᛋᚹᛖᛝ

Possible runic inscription in Anglo-Saxon futhorc

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