sweien

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Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Old English swēgan.

Verb

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sweien

  1. to resound; to make a sound
Usage notes
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  • Not to be confused with swīen (“be silent”), with which it was homophonous by the 13th century.[1]
Alternative forms
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Etymology 2

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Probably from Old Norse sveigja (“bend”).

Verb

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sweien

  1. to bend or move in a swaying or sweeping way
  2. (transitive, intransitive) to move downward; to fall
  3. (transitive, intransitive) to move quickly
Alternative forms
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References

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  1. ^ Edna Rees Williams, The Conflict of Homonyms in English (1944), page 100
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