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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.

Quotation dates: 1887

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SWAIF, n. A sweeping or downward swinging motion or stroke.wm.Sc. 1887 Jam.:
Wi' a swaif o' the scythe.

[? Cf. Mid.Eng. (14th c.) swayf, id., Norw. dial. sveiv, a swing, from an ablaut variant of O.N. svífa, O.E. swīfan, to swing, to sway, but the long gap in continuity of usage and the rarity of the Sc. word suggests that it may be merely imit. Cf. Swaf.]

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"Swaif n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/swaif>

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