Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SWEDGE, n., v. Also †suedge. [swɛdʒ]
I. n. A tool for making the grooves and nail-noles in a horseshoe, orig. a bevelled chisel (Sc. 1825 Jam.), now commonly a kind of die or mould with the appropriate indentations (Gen.Sc.), also in comb. swedge-block (Sc. 1899 A. Mathieson and Sons Catalogue 128).Gsw. 1727 Gsw. Testaments XLIX. 493:
Suedge and stamp and cleater iron.Abd. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (29 May) 3:
“Fuller”, “swedge”, “punch” or other tools requiring fore hammer manipulation.
II. v. To make a groove or hole in metal, e.g. on a horseshoe (Rxb. 1825 Jam.). Ppl.adj. swedged, grooved, “applied to a horse shoe, or the iron of clogs” (Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 156; Bnff. 1972).Sc. 1801 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (12 Aug.) 254:
On Thursday last the workmen employed in repairing the Cathedral Church of Glasgow, found part of the bone of a human leg, encircled by a chain about 30 inches long, weighing about 11 drops of fine gold, with circular rings, one of which was twisted and the other swedged, and alternately soldered into each another.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm III. 1079:
A blade of rolled cast-steel swedged into a form.
