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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.

Swarm, v. Also: suarm, swairm, swerm(e. [ME and e.m.E. swarm(e, swerm(e (Chaucer), OE *swierman, swirman, MLG, MDu. swermen, MLG and MHG also swarmen; Swarm n.]

1. Of people, esp. in large numbers: To mill around confusedly; crowd; throng; to move together in a crowd about, till a place. 1513 Doug. ii ix 17.
Hecuba thyddir with hir childer for beild Ran al invane and about the altare swarmys 1513 Doug. vi v 23 (Sm.).
Thiddir to the bray swarmit [Ruddim. swermyt] all the rout Of deid gaistis, and stud the bank about 1513 Doug. x vii 171.
The chiftanys all ionyt with hail poweris, The hyndmast wardis swarmyt al yferis 1533 Boece 151.
xl^m armyt men … and vtheris of age potent ȝit in strenth swairmyng in ostis 1596 Dalr. II 344/11.
The peple cam suarmeng till him from al partes 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 301.
Even as a rude concurse of people swairmes, A heidles multitude misledde by rage

b. In pejorative use: To come or be present in excessive numbers. (With an admixture of 2 below.) a1651 Calderwood III 775.
Our Scotish Papists … swerme home from all places, like locusts 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 250.
The great number of beggers that swermes in the streits

2. Of insects or serpents: To issue out (forth) in large numbers. 1533 Boece 286.
Ane hert … was takin and slane out of quhais wame swarmyt grete nowmer of serpentis 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cv 31.
Hee spake, forth suarm'd each sort of flie; Yea, lyce did craule in all their costs

3. Of fire: To billow out in flames. 1513 Doug. vii iv 201 (Sm.).
Twa sterne steidis thairin ȝok in feyr … At thair neis thyrlis the fyir fast swermand [C. sneryng, Ruthv. swirlling] out [L. spirantis naribus ignem]

4. Of a place: To be crowded or thronged with, to be full of (something). 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 16/12.
This yle of Brittain (swarming full of quick ingynes)