sweg

Old English

Alternative forms

• swœ̄ġ

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swōgi (“sound, noise”). Cognate with Old Norse sœgr (“tumult, noise”). More at sough, swoon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sweːj/

Noun

swēġ m

1. sound, noise
   • 10th century, The Seafarer:

     Hwīlum ylfete song dyde iċ mē tō gomene, ganetes hlēoþor ond huilpan swēġ fore hleahtor wera, mǣw singende fore medodrince.

     Sometimes I made the swan song as a mirth to myself, the gannet’s speech and the hwilp’s noise instead of laugher of men, the singing seagull instead of a mead-drink.

2. (grammar) accent, stress

Declension

Strong i-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	swēġ	swēġas
accusative	swēġ	swēġas
genitive	swēġes	swēġa
dative	swēġe	swēġum

Related terms

• swēġan
• swinsweġ
• swōgan
• twifeald swēġ

Descendants

• Middle English: swei, sweȝ