[f. SWADDLE v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the vb. SWADDLE; wrapping in swaddling-clothes; swathing, bandaging.
13[?], a. 1425. [see SWADDLING-BAND].
1522. More, De quat. Noviss., Wks. 80/2. Al our swadlynge and tending with warme clothes.
1611. Stafford, Niobe, 161. I would onelie wish, to haue that one ceremonie at my buriall, which I had at my birth; I mean, swadling.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Wit without Money, V. i. Hourly troubled, with making broths, and dawbing your decayes with swadling, and with stitching up your ruines.
1826. W. P. Dewees, Phys. Treatm. Children, 64. The cruel practise of swaddling should be for ever laid aside.
2. pl. (rarely sing.) Swaddling-clothes; also, a bandage. Also fig.
1623. Drumm. of Hawth., Flowres of Sion, viii. There is hee poorelie swadl’d, in Manger lai’d, To whom too narrow Swadlings are our Spheares.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., II. lxix. (1892), 495. If you continue to wrap up our young acquaintance … in such warm choice swadlings, it will quickly grow up to maturity.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., II. xxv. 155. In case the Fracture be next to the Knee from below, then use no swadlings over the Knee.
1661. Glanvill, Van. Dogm., 141. Our knowledge, though its Age write thousands, is still in its swadlings.
1882. Lancs. Gloss., Swaddlins, Swathelins, wrappers for children. S. Lancs.
1899. Crockett, Black Douglas (1900), 330. The head of Gilles de Sillé wasstill swathed in bandages, when, with an additional swaddling of disguise across his eyes [etc.].
1905. F. Young, Sands Pleasure, I. v. [A lighthouse] a baby yet, his stone sides hardly out of their swaddling of scaffold!
† 3. Beating, cudgelling. Obs.
1628. R. S., Counter-Scuffle, cxxx. Behinde the doore he stood to heare, For in he durst not come for feare Of swadling.
1659. Torriano, A swadling, bastonamento.
† 4. [after SWADDLER] Methodism; hence, conduct supposed to be characteristic of Methodists.
1759. Compl. Lett. Writer, IV. xxx. (1768), 217. I thought if her Sidling and Swaddling, and foolish unalterable Simper, did not provoke the Country Dances to begin, nothing could.
1771–2. Ess. fr. Batchelor (1773), I. 49. Swaddling and zeal the female troop enflame.
5. attrib. in swaddling-robe, a baby’s long-clothes. See also SWADDLING-BAND, -CLOTHES, -CLOUTS.
1845. G. Murray, Islaford, 42. To make the swaddling-robe a winding-sheet.
