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.
Swouning, Sounding, vbl. n. Also: swown-, suoun-, swovning, swoning(e, -yng(e, swuning, sowning, -ying, (swnyge), (sowovnying). [ME and e.m.E. suoweningue (c1290), suoning (Cursor M.), swoȝning, swowenynge (both a1300), swonyng (a1400), sownyng (c1435), swounyng (c1440), soundynge (1547); Swoun(d v.] Fainting; unconsciousness.Freq., to fall or lie in(to) swouning. Cf. Swoun(d n.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 234.
Quhene scho hard the tything tel, In swoninge sone thare scho fel a1400 Leg. S. xxi 297.
Swonyng a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 140.
Swonynge ?1438 Alex. i 3289.
Suouning ?1438 Alex. ii 8378.
Lang quhyle [they] lay into suouning ?a1450 Florimond 311.
In swouning rycht thair fell he 1460 Hay Alex. 3273.
Swovnyng a1500 Henr.Fab. 491.
Scho … Fell doun for cair in swoning and in sweit a1500 Henr.Test. Cress. 545.
Euer in hir swouning cryit scho thus 1535 Stewart 49514.
Syne efterwart quhen he did convales Of his swowning 15.. Clar. iii 565.
Scho to the eard doun fell In swouning cauld 1566 Keith Hist. App. 133.
Hir Majestie … this nicht has had sum dwaumes of swouning(b) 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 13.
With sowning, quhairefter followis haistelie deth(c) a1605 Montg. Flyt. 317 (H).
The swerfe and the sweiting, with sounding to swelt 1634 Johnston Diary I 226.
The Lord send me ane sudden and terrible wakning by my mothers fearful suerfing and sounding(d) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 491.
For men ma oft wemen se In swnyge [sic] sum-tyme ly
b. A swoon, a fainting-fit.1460 Hay Alex. 18003, 18007.
Bot he lay in ane sorowfull sowovnying … And in a sownying thai fand him liand thare a1585 Maitl. Q. 200/9.
Into my swuning slumring as I lay 1600-1610 Melvill 252.
The honest woman becomes sa seik, with … preas of vomiting first, therefter with swinings 1638 Johnston Diary I 385.
Quhilk sundry tymes cust hir in great soundings, reboundings, and suerfings a1651 Calderwood VII 637.
The king … become worse and worse, falling into manie soundings, and paines
