sweien
Middle English
Etymology 1
Old English swēgan.
Verb
sweien
- to resound; to make a sound
Usage notes
- Not to be confused with swīen (“be silent”), with which it was homophonous by the 13th century.[1]
Alternative forms
- sweiȝan; sweie, swie
Etymology 2
Probably from Old Norse sveigja (“bend”).
Verb
sweien
- to bend or move in a swaying or sweeping way
- (transitive, intransitive) to move downward; to fall
- (transitive, intransitive) to move quickly
Alternative forms
- swei, swie, sweȝe
References
- Edna Rees Williams, The Conflict of Homonyms in English (1944), page 100