1590. Spenser, Fairy Queene, i. xi. 26. The scorching flame sore swinged all his face.
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen, ii. 1. 87. I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love. Ibid. (1596), King John, ii. 1. 288. Saint George that swinged the dragon. Ibid. (1598), 2 Hen. IV., v. 4. I will have you . . . soundly swinged for this . . . if you be not swinged I'll forswear half kirtles.
1509. Greene, George a Greene. Once he swing'd me till my bones did ake.
1607. Devil's Charter [Steevens]. When I was a scholar in Padua, faith, then I could have swinged a sword and buckler.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Dober. To beat, swinge, lamme, bethwacke.
1614. Fletcher, Wit Without Money, iv. 5. Be not too bold; for, if you be, I'll swinge you, I'll swinge you monstrously, without all pity.
1621. Sylvester, Du Bartas [Nares]. Then often swindging, with his sinnewy train, Somtimes his sides, somtimes the dusty plain.
1637. Davenant, Brit. Triumphans, [Dram. Rest., Davenant, ii. 282]. In Gaul he swinged the valiant Sir Amadis.
1663. Butler, Hudibras. Whether it be direct infrynging An oath if I should waive this swinging.
1709. Swift, Stella, xxxix. Walpole, late secretary of war, is to be swinged for bribery.
1763. Foote, Mayor of Garratt, i. I would . . . swinge and leather my lambkin.
2. (venery).—To copulate: see Ride. Hence swinger = a performer (q.v.).
153[?]. Lyndsay, Descriptioun, [Laing, i. 156, 17]. Ane swyngeour coffe amangis the wyvis.
1622. Fletcher, Beggars Bush, iii. 1. Give her cold jelly To take up her belly, And once a day swinge her again.
1668. Dryden, Enemy's Love, v. And that baggage, Beatrix, how I would swinge her if I had her here.
Swinged off, adv. phr. (old).—See
quot.
c. 1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Swinging. . . . He is swing'd off, damnably Clapt.
Swinging (Swindging or
Swingeing), adj. (old).—Huge,
astonishing: generic for size:
anything that beats all else: see
Swinge, verb. Hence swinger
= anything of size; a whopper
(q.v.). Spec. an unblushing
falsehood.
1623. Mabbe, Spanish Rogue (1630), ii. 144. A swinging pastie.
1624. Fletcher, Rule a Wife, iv. 3. A swinging storm will sing you such a lullaby.
1648. Herrick, Twelfe Night. Thus ye must doe To make the wassaile a swinger.
1672. Dryden, Assignation, iii. 8. Yours were but little vanities; but I have sinn'd swingingly against my vow.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. xviii. A swingeing ass's touch-tripe fastened to his waist.
c. 1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Swinging. Clap, Lye, Fellow, a very great one. I swing'd him off, I lay'd on and beat him well-favoredly. He is swing'd off, damnably Clapt.
1703. Farquhar, Inconstant, i. 1. We have rid a swinging pace from Nemours since two this morning.
1720. Echard, Obs. Cont. Clergy, 159. How will he rap out presently half a dozen swingers, to get off cleverly.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, i. 271. Did I not tell you a swingeing Lie, then?
1730. North, Lives of Norths. [A certain monstrous proposition is called] a swinger.
1734. Carey, Chronon., 3. Now, . . . for a swingeing lye.
1742. Fielding, Joseph Andrews, ii. 5. If your jury were Christians, they must give swingeing damages, that's all.
1859. Sala, Twice Round Clock, 4 a.m. 17. Retailing the fish at a swingeing profit.
1872. C. D. Warner, Blacklog Studies, 264. A placid, calm, swingeing cold night.
