sweem

English

Etymology

From Middle English swemen, from Old English *swǣman, from Proto-West Germanic *swaimijan, from Proto-Germanic *swaimijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₁- (“to move, sway”). Cognate with Scots sweem, soom (“to spin at high speed; float”), Icelandic sveima (“to float, hover; wander, roam”).

Verb

sweem (third-person singular simple present sweems, present participle sweeming, simple past and past participle sweemed)

1. (UK dialectal) to swoon, faint; be giddy

Noun

sweem (plural sweems)

1. (UK dialectal) a swoon, fainting; a state of giddiness or faintness

Derived terms

• sweemy
• sweemish

Related terms

• sway
• sweam
• swim
• zoom