Middle English Dictionary Entry
sw- consonant clust.
Entry Info
| Forms | sw- consonant clust. Also su-, sv-, swh-, scw-, scu-, schw-, schu-, shw-, ssw-, sew-, sow-, suw-, sc-, sch-, sh-, ss-, s-, z-, (chiefly NWM, N, or EAngl.) sqw-, squ-, sqv-, (K) zu- & (errors) sȝ-, sl-, sm-, sn-, sp-, saw-, suth-, fw-, hsw-, q)w-. |
| Etymology | Chiefly from OE sw-, su(u)-, suw-; sometimes from other Gmc. languages: ON sv-, MDu. sw-, etc.; occas. from L/AL (but ult. Gmc.) or OF/AF. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. qu- cons. clust.
1.
For all words beginning with sw- from here to the end of this volume [of the print MED], the practice of the MED is to record all variant forms except those beginning with su-; forms with su- are given only when there are no examples of the same forms with sw-. The spellings sw-, su- are also frequently used in variant forms of words beginning with squ- (see print MED, pp. 539-49 [i.e., entries squachen v. through squolt n.; or search headwords, preferred spelling only, for squ*]).
Associated quotations
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