Swíþ

adj. I. strong, (1) of persons or personifications:--Metod mihtum swíð, Cd. Th. 233, 32; Dan. 284: Andr. Kmbl. 2415; An. 1209: Exon. Th. 45, 8; Cri. 716. Ðý læs hé for wlence, mon móde swíð, of gemete hweorfe, 294, 34; Crii. 25. Hwæt wæs ðé, sǽ swíþa? forhwan fluge ðú swá? Ps. Th. 113, 5. Wyrd seó swíþe, 477, 16; Ruin. 25: Salm. Kmbl. 886; Sal. 442. Hé tóswengde þurh swíðes meaht líges leóman, Exon. Th. 189, 14; Az. 59. Ǽnne hæfde hé swá swíðne geworhtne, swá mihtigne on his módgeþohte, Cd. Th. 16, 33; Gen. 252. Hí swíðra oferstág weard, Exon. Th. 116, 3; Gú. 201. Biþ seó módor frommast and swíþost, 493, 1; Rä. 81, 23. (2) of things, (a) in reference to material things, (α) producing a powerful effect:--Swíð drenc wiþ áswollenum milte, Lchdm. ii. 256, 14. Ofgeót ðás wyrte mid swíþe beóre . . . wyl on swíþum beóre, 358, 14, 18. Stenc swíþra swæcca gehwylcum, Exon. Th. 358, 15; Pa. 46. Gif ðú wolde ðæt sió sealf swíðre sié, Lchdm. ii. 84, 8. Wylle swíþre medo . . . Wyrc swíðran (the draught), gif hé wille, 270, 7, 16. (β) strong, violent (of wind, stream, etc.):--Swíþe hlimman torrens, Ps. Th. 125, 4. Gif swíþra wind árás si flatus venti major adsurgeret, Bd. 4, 3; S. 569, 10. (γ) strong, not easily broken:--Swíðne bogan, Ps. Th. 63, 3. (b) of immaterial things:--Ealdfeónda níð, searocræftum swíð, Exon. Th. 110, 25; Gú. 113. Wæs ðæt gewin tó swýð, tó láð and longsum, Beo. Th. 385; B. 191: 6163; B. 3085. Mid ðæm swíðan welme hátheortnesse, Met. 25, 46. Intó ðý swíðan slǽpe, Blickl. Homl. 205, 4. Þurh ða swíðan miht, Cd. Th. 237, 24; Dan. 342. Se willa biþ ðonne strengra ðonne ðæt gecynd. Hwílum biþ se willa swíþra ðonne ðæt gecynd, hwílum ðæt gecynd ofercymþ ðone willan, Bt. 34, 11; Fox 152, 11. Ðæt swýðre mægen wæteres, Ps. Th. 123, 4. ¶ Swíþ occurs often as part of proper names, either as the first or second element, II. The comparative is used where later English uses right (hand, side, etc.):--Swíðra dexter, Ælfc. Gr. 5; Zup. 13, 1. (1) With a noun:--Ðín swýðre eáge, ðín swíðre hand, Mt. Kmbl. 5, 29, 30. Ðú smítst ofer Aarones swýðre eáre . . . and ðæs swýðran fótes micclan tán, Ex. 29, 20. Hé sette his ða swíþ[r]an hand him on ðæt heáfod, Bd. 2, 12; S. 515, 19. Hé sette Ephraim on his swíðran hand . . . and Mannases on his winstran hand, ðæt wæs on Israhéles swíðran healfe . . . Hé hefde ðá his swíðran hand ofer Ephraimes heáfod, Gen. 48, 13, 14. Drihten mé ys on ða swýþran healfe, Guthl. 5; Gdwin. 36, 20. Ðú nymst ðone swýðran bóh, Ex. 29, 21. Gif hwá ðé sleá on ðín swýðre wenge, Mt. Kmbl. 5, 39. (2) Used without a noun, the right hand, the right:--Godes swýðra(-e ?) forbeád Abrahame ðæt hé his sunu ne ofsloge, ac funde him ánne ram, Prud. 1 b. Ðæne ðín seó swíðre sette quam plantavit dextera tua, Ps. Th. 79, 14. Tó swýðran a dextris, Ps. Spl. 15, 8. Hí ásetton hreód on hys swíðran, Mt. Kmbl. 27, 29. Ic sceáwade on ða swýðran considerabam ad dexteram, Ps. Th. 141, 4. Æt swýþrum þearfan a dexteris pauperis, Ps. Spl. 108, 30. Fram swýðrum ðínum a dextris tuis, 90, 7. [Goth. swinþs: O. Sax. swíði: O. Frs. swíth: M. H. Ger. swinde, swint strong, quick: Ger. ge-schwind: Icel. svinnr, sviðr quick, wise]