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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†SWAB, v.1 In vbl.n. swabing, a beating, thrashing.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 215:
Poor John underwent a dreadful swabing for this.

[Voiced or intensive variant of Mid.Eng. swap, to strike, beat, of echoic orig. Cf. however Swabble, v.1 and L.Ger. s(ch)wabben, to splash about, to wobble or quiver in movement, to slap, smack, prob. cogn. with Eng. swab, to mop or souse.]

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