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.
SWIPE, n.1, v. Also swype. [swəip]
I. n. 1. A blow delivered with a full swing of the arm, a sweeping stroke. Gen.Sc. and in colloq. or dial. Eng.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 499:
Syne Francy Winsy steppit in, And drew a swingeing swype.
2. A stroke of this sort made with a golfclub or cricket bat. Hence swipie, a kind of cricket.Sc. 1862 R. Chambers Rambling Remarks 21:
Never exert the whole strength in delivering a swipe.Sc. 1887 Caled. Curling Club Ann. 353:
They boast o' games they've won wi' puts, And lang swipes aff the tee.Edb. 1898 J. Baillie Walter Crighton 126:
A left-handed side at the stumps was finished up with a smart turn at “swipie”
3. “A circular motion” (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).
II. v. 1. To deliver a long, swinging blow, or stroke, e.g. as in cutting with a scythe (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc. and in Eng. dial.
2. Specif. of a full-length stroke at golf: intr. to drive, tr. to strike (the ball) in this way. Also in Eng., esp. in reference to cricket.Sc. 1862 R. Chambers Rambling Remarks 14:
The Play-club is for driving, or, as it is sometimes called, swiping off the tee.
3. “To move circularly” (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).
[Prob. a variant of sweep. Cf. P.L.D. § 126.2.]
