A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1513
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Sweven, -ing, n. Also: swevyn, -yng, swewen. Also ? erroneous variant: schevyn. [ME and e.m.E. swe(o)uen (Layamon), swefne (Ancr. R.), sweuene (c1250), sweuen (Chaucer), swene (c1420), sweven (?a1500), OE swef(e)n sleep, dream, ON svefn.] A dream or vision; sleep.a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 440.
The samyne nyght the king his sweuen met 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 121.
In my sweuen [L. swewen] I met a ferly cace c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 244 (M).
As I did awalk of this sweving [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxiii 3.
A sweuyng swyth did me assaile 1513 Doug. ii xii 64.
The figur fled as lycht wynd … Or maist lykly a waverand swevyn or dreym [L. simillima somno] 1513 Doug. iv i 17.
‘My sistir An, quhat swevynnys [Ruthv. schevynnys] beyn thir’, quod sche, ‘Quhilk me affrays in sik proplexite?’ 1513 Doug. vi xv 111, 116.
Thar bene ordanyt for dremys ȝettis twane, Quharof, thai say, of horn forgit is ane, At quham the suythfast swevynnys by and by … ischis furth lychtly; The tother port is forgit wail perfite Of eliphantyne … Bot tharat goddis infernal lattis owt The fals swevynnys 1513 Doug. vii i 145.
On scheip skynnys, … He strekis him adovne … Demandand swevynnys and visions til appeir 1513 Doug. x xi 95.
As the slepy dremys, fra sted to sted Fleand in swevyn [L. somnia] makis illusionys 1513 Doug. xii xiv 51.
Lyk as … in our swevyn we tak keip [etc.]
