A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400
[0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Swink, Swynk, v. Also: suynke. [ME and e.m.E. swink(en (c1200), swinke (1340-70), swynke (Chaucer), OE swincan.] intr. a. To labour, toil. b. To surpass, excel (in something). —a. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxi 117.
Hyre handis twa … wordit sa Vnhelful, that scho mycht nocht swynk Na wyne with thame met ore drink a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 791.
Wit ȝe quhen we swink, That we haf gret fawt of drynk —b. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi 68.
Wyne & cesare he ne sal drinke, Bot before God he sal wele suynke [L. præcederet] In spryt & vertu of hely [sc. Elias]
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Swink v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/swink_v>
