Forms: 1 swoʓan, 5 swoghe (squoe), 6 Sc. swouch, suowch, swoch; 4 souȝe, 6 (9) sowgh, sogh, 6– sugh, 8– sough (9 dial. suff); Sc. 6 sowch, 6, 8– souch, 9 sooch; 5 swowe, 8 swoo, 9 dial. sow, sou(e, soo. [OE. swóʓan, = OS. swôgan to move with a rushing sound; related to Goth. ufswōgjan (cf. OE. swéʓan to sound, etc.; Norw. dial. søgja to murmur, rustle) and swōgatjan to sigh. Cf. also WFris. swoegje to pant.]
1. intr. To make a rushing, rustling or murmuring sound.
a. 900. Cynewulf, Crist, 950. On seofon healfa swoʓað windas.
a. 1000. Genesis, 1375. Drihten … let … eʓorstreamas swearte swoʓan.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 140. Þe see souȝed ful sore, gret selly to here.
c. 1400. Anturs of Arth., 55. By þe stremys so strange, þat swyftly swoghes [v.r. squytherly squoes].
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 171. Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of swar.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, I. vi. 155. Ther wyngis swochand jolely. Ibid., V. iii. 76. The fludis … souchand quhair thai fair, In sondir slydis.
1724. Ramsay, Royal Archers Shooting, iv. The feather’d arrows drive All soughing thro’ the sky. Ibid. (1728), Robt., Richy, & Sandy, 56. Torn frae its roots adown it souchan fell.
1815. G. Beattie, John o’ Arnha’ (1826), 25. The wind sough’d mournfu’ throw the trees.
1857. Thoreau, Maine W., i. (1864), 3. The white-pine tree…—its branches soughing with the four winds.
1884. Mrs. C. Praed, Zéro, iv. The wind soughed through the budding branches overhead in long monotonous swell.
b. trans. To utter in this manner.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 29. Each rude-risen tempest … Sughing its vengeance through the yellow trees.
2. intr. To draw the breath heavily or noisily; to sigh deeply.
c. 1475. Partenay, 1944. There gan he to sigh and sowghid for wo. Ibid., 2890. He sighed, soghed, wepte with teres many.
1806. R. Jamieson, Pop. Ballads, II. 338. I hear your mither souch and snore.
1847. H. Bushnell, Chr. Nurture, II. iii. (1861), 273. Dosing, all together, and sughing in dull dreams.
b. With away: To breathe one’s last; to die.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xxxix. His uncle, poor gentleman, just sough’d awa wi’ it in his mouth.
1886. Willock, Rosetty Ends, vi. (1887), 46. He muttered ‘Puir Gyp,’ an’ then he soughed awa.
3. trans. a. To hum (a tune). Also fig.
1711. Ramsay, On Maggy Johnstoun, x. I took a nap, And soucht a’ night balillilow, As sound ’s a tap. Ibid. (1721), Elegy on Patie Birnie, iv. His face could mak’ you fain, When he did sough, ‘O wiltu, wiltu do ’t again!’
1805. J. Nicol, Poems, II. 133 (Jam.). I, ’mang many merry fouk, Can … sough a tune, an’ crack a jock.
b. To utter in a sighing or whining tone.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxvii. He hears ane o’ the king’s Presbyterian chaplains sough out a sermon. Ibid. (1818), Br. Lamm., xviii. I hae soughed thae dark words ower to mysell.
