Also 7 leipothymy, lypothimy, 7–8 lipothymie, 7 lipothymia, 9 leipothymia. [ad. and a. mod.L. lipothȳmia, ad. Gr. λιποθῡμία, f. λιπ-, weak stem of λείπειν to leave, fail, be lacking + θῡμός animation, spirit. Cf. F. lipothymie (16th c.).] Fainting, swooning, syncope; an instance of this. † Also fig.
1603. F. Hering, Cert. Rules Contagion (1625), B iij b. The wearers of these Amulets haue fallen into sodaine Lypothimies and soundings.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 5. This lipothymie, this faint-heartednesse, lost him [James] the reputation and respects of his people.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit. (1676), 807. When nature is in a lipothymie.
1665–6. Boyle, Lett. to Stubbe, 9 March, Wks. 1772, I. Life, 82. Others are freed from lypothymias by being pinched, or having cold water thrown in their faces.
1681. trans. Willis’ Rem. Med. Wks., Vocab., Leipothymy.
1761. Pulteney in Phil. Trans., LII. 351. A faint weak voice, an aptitude to fall into lipothymies from slight causes.
1787. W. Falconer, Influence Passions (1791), 90, note. He himself was affected with Lipothymia at seeing a criminal broken on the wheel.
1835–6. Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 796/1. Syncope occurs without any antecedence of pain or leipothymia.
So Lipothymial, Lipothymic, † Lipothymous adjs., of or pertaining to lipothymy; characterized by or tending to lipothymy.
1665. G. Harvey, Advice agst. Plague, 26. If the patient is surprised with a Lipothymous anguor, jactitation, or great oppression about the stomach or Hypochonders, expect no relief from Cordials. Ibid. (1689), Curing Dis. by Expect., iv. 28. Bleeding very oft … doth upon the stopping of the Blood throw them into a long and deep swooning or Leipothymick fit.
1836. I. Taylor, Phys. Theory Another Life, 319. All the facts connected with … paralysis and leipothymic states of the system,… will, if fairly considered, either confirm or exclude the theory we adopt.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 371. The lipothymial symptoms soon predominate.
