Obs. Forms: 1–2 cwealm, 2–3 cwalm, (3 cu-), 2–4 qualm, 3 quelme, 4 qw-, qualme, 6 Sc. quhalm, qualim. [OE. cwealm death, slaughter, pestilence, = OS. qualm, OHG. qu-, chualm (MHG. qualm anguish); f. *kwal-, ablaut-var. of *kwel- to die: see QUELE, QUELL.]
1. General or widespread mortality of men or animals; plague, pestilence.
In OE. also used of the (violent) death of a single person.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 122. Micel cwealm wearð þæs folces. Ibid., 192. Cwealm on heora orfe.
c. 1125. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1125. Hunger & cwealm on men & on erue.
c. 1205. Lay., 31877. Þe qualm muchele Þe wes on moncunne.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1155. Thu bodest cualm of orwe.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cv. 29. And finees stode & quemyd & þe qualm left.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1156. A thousand slayn and nat oon of qualm ystorue.
b. Loss or damage.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 357. Ywys, great qualme [F. grant morie] ne were it noon, Ne synne, although her lyf were gon.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. i. 31. Quhen the fers burgh of Cartage To Romys boundis … Ane huge myscheif and gret quhalm [ed. 1553 qualim] send sall.
2. attrib., as qualm-house, -stow.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss., 2. Calvariae locus, cualmstou.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 254. Ða cempan hine ʓelæddon to ðære cwealm-stowe.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 106. Þe munt of Caluarie … was þe cwalmsteou. Ibid., 140. Iput in one prisune, & bitund ase in one cwalm huse.
