Middle English Dictionary Entry
iswenchen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | iswenchen v. Also (early) ȝeswæncan; sg. 3 (error) iswenched; pl. iswenchet; p. geswæncte; pl. geswencton; ppl. iswenced, -et, ȝeswenced & ȝeswæint, geswenct(e, geswæncte, (error) iswechte. |
| Etymology | OE geswencan, geswæncan; p. geswencte; ppl. geswenced, geswenct. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To harass or afflict (sb., a country, the spirit or heart); also, trouble (oneself); (b) to make (sb.) weary, fatigue; (c) of rains: to be troublesome; of wind: buffet (a tree).
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1105 : Þa þe þam eorle Willelme of Mortoin ahwær neah wunedon, þa he gelomlice geswæncte swa he swiðost mihte.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1116 : Ðis land & þas leodon wurdon..oftrædlice sare geswencte.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1117 : Eac þeos þeode þurh þis ylce þurh manigfealde gyld wearð strange geswenct.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)97/12 : Swyðe oft..þa gode mæn byð fram þan yfele mannen geswæncte.
- a1200(?OE) Cmb.Hom.(Cmb Ii.1.33)104/117 : Datianus þa deofollice yrsode and beȝan to sleanne swiðe mid ȝyrdum his aȝene witneras, þe þone halȝan witnodon, þæt hi swiðor sceolde hine ȝeswæncan.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)13 : Ȝe beoð iscald [read: iseald] eower feonde to prisune, Swa þet heo eow tintraȝed and heow iswenchet.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10351 : Iswenched [read: iswencheð] us sære, folke to scare.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)85/12 : Ðe gast and ðe hierte..bieð swiðe ȝeswæint mid eadmodnese.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)9/76 : For nawt þu hauest iswechte [?read: iswenchet te].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)212/7 : Wummen, & children, & nomeliche ancre meidnes þe cumeð iswenchet for ow..makieð ham to eotene wið chearitable chere.
b
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)33/31 : Eall se lichama ȝeswæred byþ and ȝehefeȝuþ, eal swylc he of mycele swynce come, and ealle he byþ ȝeswenced.
c
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1116 : Þe ormæte reinas..swiðe gedrehton & geswencton þe gyt þe com Candel mæssan.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)130/9 : Þæt treow þe weaxeð on þam wude be ar up ofer alle þa oðre treon, & hit þenne feringæ strang wind wiðstont, þenne bið hit swiðor iwæȝed & iswenced þene þe oðer wudæ.