(a) A vessel for holding liquid; ?a brewing vat [2nd quot.]; (b) a liquid measure; sester ful; (c) a dry measure; (d) sester peni, an annual tax imposed upon commercial brewers of beer.
…
(a) A footstool; also fig.; also, the raised section of the floor on which the altar stands, a footpace [2nd quot.]; shamel of fet, fot shamel [OE fōt-sceamol]; bok shamel, a bookstand; (b) a bench……
(a) To urge (sb. to do sth.), invite, call upon; order (sb. to do sth.); -- also with that clause; ben somned, be called upon (to do sth.), be obliged; ben somned to, be invited to (a feast); (b) ?to……
(a) A piece of the elastic, absorbent, and porous spongin skeleton of various species of Porifera, a sponge; (b) the sponge as an instrument of the Passion, the sponge soaked with vinegar and gall……
(a) An enclosed or partially enclosed place for keeping a domesticated animal, a stall; a stable; also in fig. context [quot.: ?a1425]; also in proverbs and prov. expressions; asse (oxe) stal; (b) a……
(a) The sturgeon (Acipenser sturio); -- also coll.; ?also, another fish or aquatic animal [quot. ?c1475]; (b) cook. a sturgeon used as food; maken a sturgeoun, to prepare a sturgeon for the table; (c)……
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……
