Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Swarm, n. p. 1336A large number of small animals or insects, especially when in motion. “A deadly swarm of hornets.” Milton. 2. Especially, a great number of honey bees which emigrate from a hive at once, and seek…Swarm, v. i. p. 1336To collect and depart from a hive by flight in a body, as bees; as, bees swarm in warm, clear days in summer. 2. To appear or collect in a crowd; to throng together; to congregate in a multitude; to…Swarm, v. t. p. 1336To crowd or throng. [Obs.]Swart, n. p. 1336Sward. [Obs.] Holinshed.Swart, v. t. p. 1336To make tawny. [Obs.]Swart or Swarth, a. p. 1336Being of a dark hue; moderately black; tawny. “A nation strange, with visage swart.” Spenser. “While your swart attendants wait.” Trench. 2. Gloomy; malignant. [Obs.] Milton.Swarth, n. p. 1336The same as SWATH. See SWATH.Swarth, n. p. 1336An apparition of a person about to die. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.Swarth'i-ly, adv. p. 1336In a swarthy manner; with a tawny hue; duskily.Swarth'i-ness, n. p. 1336The state of being swarthy; a dusky or dark complexion; tawniness.Swarth'ness, n. p. 1336Swarthiness. [Rare.]Swarth'y, a. p. 1336Being of a dark hue or dusky complexion; black or tawny. Their swarthy hosts would darken all our plains. Addison.Swarth'y, v. t. p. 1336To make swarthy; to darken. [Obs.] Cowley.Swart'i-ness, n. p. 1336The state of being swart or swarthy; a tawny color.Swart'ish, a. p. 1336Somewhat swart, dark, or tawny.Swart'ness, n. p. 1336The quality of being swart; darkness; swarthiness. She denounced the plague of swartness to the linen. W. Scott.Swart'-stär, n. p. 1336The dog-star; — so called from its appearance during the hot weather of summer, which darkens, or makes swart, the countenance. [Rare.] Milton.Swart'y, a. p. 1337Swarthy; tawny. [Obs.] Burton.Swärve, v. i. p. 1337To swerve. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. To climb. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Swash, n. p. 1337(Arch.) An oval figure, whose moldings are oblique to the axis of the work. Moxon.Swash, n. p. 1337A blustering noise; a vaporing; swaggering behavior; a swagger. [Obs. or vulgar.] 2. One who swaggers; a swaggering fellow; a swasher. 3. [From wash, with s prefixed.] Impulse of water flowing with…Swash, v. i. p. 1337To bluster; to make a great noise; to vapor or brag. 2. [See supra.] To dash or flow noisily, as water; to splash; as, water swashing on a shallow place. 3. To fall violently or noisily. [Obs.] They…Swash, a. p. 1337Soft, like fruit too ripe; swashy. [Prov. Eng.] Pegge.Swash'-bŭck'ler, n. p. 1337A bully or braggadocio; a swaggering, boastful fellow; a swaggerer. Milton.Swash'er, n. p. 1337One who makes a blustering show of valor of arms. [Rare.] Shak.Swash'-wāy, n. p. 1337A narrow channel of water among sands, and the like; a swash.Swash'y, a. p. 1337Soft, like fruit that is too ripe; quashy; swash. [Prov. Eng.]Swāt, imp. p. 1337of sweat. [Obs.] See SWEAT. Chaucer.Swatch, n. p. 1337A swath. [Obs.] Tusser.Swāte, imp. p. 1337of sweat. [Obs.] See SWEAT. Thomson.Swath, n. p. 1337A band or fillet. “They wrapped me in a hundred yards of swath.” Addison. 2. A line of grass or grain cut and thrown together by the scythe in mowing or cradling. 3. The whole sweep of a scythe, or…Swath'-bănk, n. p. 1337A strip of grass left standing between the strokes of a scythe. [Prov. Eng.]Swāthe, v. t. p. 1337To bind with a swath, band, bandage, or rollers; as, to swathe a child. Their children are never swathed or bound about with any thing when first born. Abbot.Swāthe, n. p. 1337A bandage. Milk and a swathe, at first, his whole demand. Young.Swāy, v. t. p. 1337To move or wield with the hand; as, to sway the scepter. 2. To influence or direct by power and authority, or by moral force; to rule; to govern. She could not sway her house. Shak. Take heed lest…Swāy, v. i. p. 1337To bear rule; to govern. “Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.” Shak. 2. To have weight or influence. The example of sundry churches . . . doth sway much. Hooker. 3. To be drawn to one side by…Swāy, n. p. 1337Power exerted in governing; rule; dominion; control. When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, The post of honor is a private station. Addison. 2. Influence, weight, or authority that inclines…Swāy'-băcked, a. p. 1337Having the back hollow or fallen in, whether naturally or as the result of injury or weakness;—said of horses and other animals.Swāy'-brā'cing, n. p. 1337(Engin.) The horizontal bracing of a bridge, which prevents its swaying.Swāyed, a. p. 1337Bent down, and hollow in the back; — said of a horse. “Swayed in the back.” Shak.Swāy'ful, a. p. 1337Full of power; able to sway; swaying. [Rare.] “The swayful concrete of intonation in the violoncello.” Rush.Swāy'ing, n. p. 1337A kind of lumbago, caused by a fall, or by being overloaded;—applied to beasts.Sweal, v. i. p. 1337To melt and run down, as the tallow of a candle; to waste away without feeding the flame. 2. To blaze away. See SWALE.Swēal, v. t. p. 1337To dress, as a hog, by burning or singeing off the hair; to swale.Swear, v. i. p. 1337To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. I swear by all the Roman gods. Shak. 2. (Law.) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth of…Swear, v. t. p. 1337To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration; as, to swear an oath. 2. (Law.) To put to an oath; to cause to take an oath; to administer an oath to; — often…Swear'er, n. p. 1337One who swears; one who calls God to witness for the truth of his declaration. 2. A profane person; one who uses profane language. Then the liars and swearers are fools. Shak.Swĕat, n. p. 1337The fluid or sensible moisture which is excreted from the skin of an animal, more commonly that which is produced by hard work, mental excitement, bodily suffering, or medicine. In the sweat of thy…Swĕat, v. i. p. 1337To excrete sensible moisture from the skin. 2. To toil; to labor; to drudge. He'd have the poets sweat. Waller. 3. To emit moisture, as green plants in a heap.Swĕat, v. t. p. 1337To cause to excrete moisture from the skin; as, his physicians attempted to sweat him by the most powerful sudorifics. 2. To emit or suffer to flow from the pores; to exude. For him the rich Arabia…Swĕat'er, n. p. 1337One who sweats. 2. One who, or that which, causes to sweat; a sudorific.Swĕat'i-ly, adv. p. 1337In a sweaty manner; so as to be moist with sweat.Swĕat'i-ness, n. p. 1337The state of being sweaty, or moist with sweat.Sweat'ing-bâth, n. p. 1337A bath for producing sensible sweat; a stove; a sudatory.Swĕat'ing-house, n. p. 1337A house for sweating persons in sickness.Sweat'ing-ī'ron, n. p. 1337A kind of knife, or a piece of iron, used to scrape off sweat, especially from horses.Sweat'ing-room, n. p. 1337A room for sweating person. 2. (Dairy Business.) A room for sweating cheese and carrying off the superfluous juices.Sweat'ing-sick'ness, n. p. 1337(Med.) A febrile epidemic disease which prevailed in some countries of Europe, but particularly in England, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, characterized by profuse sweating, which…Sweat'y, a. p. 1337Moist with sweat; as, a sweaty skin; a sweaty garment. 2. Consisting of sweat. “No noisy whiffs or sweaty streams.” Swift. 3. Laborious; toilsome; difficult. “The sweaty forge.” Prior.Swēde, n. p. 1337(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Sweden. 2. A Swedish turnip.