Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1710-1928, 1979-1986
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SWITH, adv., int., adj., v. Also swyth(e), swithe, sweith, swieth. [swɪθ, †swɑeð. See etym. note.]
I. adv. 1. Quickly, rapidly, in an instant. Now rare and liter. Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) II. 233:
Swith on the hardned clay he fell.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 83:
Swyth man! fling a' your sleepy springs awa'.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 210:
Sweith awa' hame frae the minister, and into the bed amang the blankets.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 210:
A sonsy rede swythe rede to me.Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Poems 71:
Swith comes the whisky Wit is wakened, sinews braced.Gsw. 1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes 87:
Swith, in across the flure I sprang.e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep Head 40:
Daffin jigs, an' sangs, an' tales, Sped far too swith the hours on.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Songs 32:
Arles o' the fit that's comin' Swith to ding the rauchly cauld.Abd. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 80:
Swith to the fleer ilk eager chiel Bangs wi' his lass to start the reel.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie Two Tongues 43:
Swith there comes a ripple.
2. Used exclamatorily, and passing into the usage of II. below.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 89:
Till swith! he's turned to a moor, To herd some farmer's nowt.Rnf. 1816 A. Wilson Poems (1876) II. 5:
Swith! a chap comes on the hallan.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 150:
Swith! when he gets them lowpin' daft and fidgin' fain wi' the thochts o't, dauds their runkled chafts wi' his loof.Knr. 1895 H. Haliburton Dunbar 77:
Swith, within the twinkling of an ee.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 177:
When swith! her brithers, full in view, Cam' scorchin', madly, doon the brae.
II. int. Quick! off! away!, gen. followed by awa(y). Freq. as an order to a dog.Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis:
Swith away, i.e. be gone quickly.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. ii. i.:
Swith, tak him Deil; he's o'er lang out of Hell.Cai. 1773 Weekly Mag. (28 Oct.) 146:
"Swythe, mensless beast!" she says, "an' kiss the sow."Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' xxxvii.:
Ye're just fit to make muck o' meal, Sae swith awa'.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 38:
Swieth, Maggy, gae mak me a cogfu' o' milk brose.Ayr. 1788 Burns Louis, What reck ii.:
Kings and nations — swith, awa!Mry. 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 116:
Swyth brute, quoth I, foul fa' thy snout [of a pig].Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xxxi.:
Awa wi' him, swith awa wi' him.Abd. 1835 J. B. Pratt J. Fleeman (1904) 34:
"Haud out by — swithe!", said Jamie [to the dog].Knr. 1891 H. Haliburton Ochil Idylls 46:
Swith to the launds that had your lauch.
III. adj. Quick, speedy, fast. Adv. swithly, speedily.Per. 1878 R. Ford Hamespun Lays 74:
Get swithly possesst o' the treasure.e.Lth. 1896 J. Lumsden Battles 2:
I'll mak' our swith retreat secure.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 18:
Swippert and swith wi' virr In the howes o' man's hert.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 56:
Outstrippin' a', as swith's the win'.Sc. 1979 T. S. Law in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 82:
something as swythe as the wuin whan featherin
thru blawn fyne hair m.Sc. 1986 Ian A. Bowman in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 165:
tholin the blash o stangs
to lowse the smeddum that's swith wi the flaught o life
frae your ain ingangs.
IV. v. By extension from II.: 1. To be gone, to take oneself off quickly, to speed away.ne.Sc. 1782 Caled. Mercury (4 Sept.):
My vockie hart, fu' fow o' glee, Bade sorrow swyth.Abd. 1844 W. Thom Poems 33:
I'll swithe me o'er the sea.Mry. 1866 J. Shanks Elgin 161:
Swyth ye, get ye home every one o' ye.Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 57:
Soon as the wain gaed swithin' past.
2. To cry "swith", to shout orders to, to order away like a dog.Abd. 1829 A. Cruickshank Poems 43:
Ilka ane wis swithin' at me.
