Middle English Dictionary Entry
swēting(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | swēting(e ger. Also swetingge, (early SWM) swæting. |
| Etymology | From swēten v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act or process of exuding perspiration, sweating; ~ cloth, a cloth intended to absorb sweat; lien o ~, to lie sweating; (b) a fit of sweating; also, an instance of induced therapeutic sweating; (c) sweat, perspiration; (d) fig. hard work, labor, great effort; also, an instance of physical effort; (e) the act or process of exuding or discharging a fluid or liquid; (f) an exuded fluid or liquid; blood.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8864 : Wreoð nu wel þene king þat he ligge a swæting.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 11.44 : His face was boundun with a sudarie, or sweting cloth.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)33a/b : Þe body renneþ, lykeþ, & droppiþ, as in swetynge, spettinge, & oþir such.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)8 : Whan þe hunters done her office or at horsbak or afoote, þei swetenn ofte; þan ȝif þei han eny evel, it mvst away in þe swetyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)483 : Swetynge, of sweete: Sudacio, desudacio.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)99/208 : Mangew..wil come..aftur gret swetynge.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)71/15 : The watir of his sweting droppid out of his visage.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8608 : Anoþer skile also for why Is for þe sweting of þe body.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)158a/b : Thof al G..haue noum-bred many manerez of euacuyng or auoiding as bene..by excercisez & fricacionz..sudorez, i. swetyngez, & batthez.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)242/34 : Þou seydist þat to alle þo þat han compassyoun, peyne..sorowis, swetyngis, and preyeris for synners, þou woldist graciously refreische hem.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)63/23 : Excercice and strong frotyngs and swetyngs availeþ.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)399/6 : Of pymples and of blaynes and of swetynges and of the nyȝtes.
- a1475 *Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)306/22 : Grinde þe piling of garlike and seþe it in watir and plastir it on þe cod..þat wole drawe oute þe humours bi smoke and by sweting.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)73/17 : No tyme ys bettir to latyng of blood, and vse stirynge of þy body, lousynge of wombe, vse of bathynge and swetynge [Ashmole: swetis].
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)334/27 : Alle maner sotil gummis: lapdanum, ysopus humida, terbentina, cera, swetynge [L Sudor] of bestis, & buttir.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)39/24 : Þer goth out a lytyll oyle as þough it were a maner swetynge [Man.(2): swete; F suour] þat is nouther lych to oyle ne to bawme.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)3/33 : Þis soule..whanne sche swatte watir for an holy goostli brennyng hete in tyme of praier, desiride þat hir swetyng schulde haue be blood raþir þan watir.
d
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.63 : Thy bred In Swet-yng shalt thow Ete.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Barth.(GiL116) (Eg 876)84/18 : Thyn armures ben debonairte in thi suetingges, mildenesse amonge wicked men, pacience.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)145 : Oothere hauen laboured and conquered with here swetinge.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)84b/b : Þan þe blake of þe iȝe by sodeyne swetinge & woosinge of substanceal humour..falliþ somtyme in perile of blindenes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)87b/a : Blood woseþ out, and me seiþ þat it comeþ out by diabrosum, þat is, bi swetinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)153a/a : For of swetyng and wosyng of clynes [read: chynes] and dennes of the aer [read: earth; L terre], watir springeþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)245a/b : Resyne..is droppynge þat comeþ out by swetynge of trees.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)359/5489 : In aposteme o þe lyvere, egestyoun is oþer whyle blayssh or redyssh, & þat is bycaus..of resudacion, id est, of swetynge & sweltynge away of þe aposteme.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)200 : Hayle..Ihesu; Ȝour meke prayeng & ȝour blody swetynge I haue offerde to ȝour ffadir.
f
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.427 : If the synne of lechery be fullefillede with in the caste of ston to hit, that ston wille sende from hit as sweetenge [L sudorem], and also thei schalle not gette a childe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.141 : Swetyngge and water on þe stoon is tokene of reyn.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)26a/22 : Thow shalt fele a swetyng of water [L inundationem] vnder thi fyngures.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)222 : The signe and token of the same shalbe made weete with dropes of swetyng.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sweating.