Also 4–7 swappe, 5 swape, (sqwappe, squappe), 8 s.w. dial. zwap, zwop, 9 swapp. [f. next.]
I. 1. An act of ‘swapping’ or striking; a stroke, blow; † occas. a kiss. Obs. exc. dial.
α. 13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 222. Fendez ful blake Weued at þe fyrst swap as þe snaw þikke.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 35 (Fairf.). with hys grym pawes stronge,… Me fleynge in a swappe [Bodl. MS. yn a swape, Caxton at a swap] he hente.
c. 1400. Anturs of Arth., xlii. (Douce MS.). Withe a swap [v.r. sqwappe] of a swerde þat swaþel him swykes.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., III. 313. The gate shal open lightly at.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxiii. 362. Swete may þis swayne for sweght of our swappes!
1530. Palsgr., 842/2. Swappe for Swappe, coup pour coup.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 48. Halfe oure tyme … is at one swappe quite taken awaye.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., IV. iv. (Arb.), 66. I with my newe broome will sweepe hym one swappe.
a. 1566. R. Edwards, Damon & Pithias (1571), F iij b. If ich could not steale one swap at their lippes.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Nice Valour, III. i. There’s no new-fashioned swappe that ere came up yet But I’ve the first on ’em.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, I. viii. 30. The Usher gives him a shrewd swap on the very end of the elbow.
1818. Hogg, Brownie of Bodsbeck, I. viii. 135. Whan a thing comes on ye that gate, that’s a dadd…. Then a paik, that’s a swapp or a skelp like. Ibid. (1822), Perils of Man, xix. II. 243. Pell-mell, swap for swap, was a’ that they countit on..
β. 1746. Exmoor Scolding (E.D.S.), 100. Gi’ me a Zwop?—Ad! chell gi’ tha a Wherret, or a Zlat in the Chups.
1863. Barnes, Dorset Gloss., Swop, a strong whop.
II. 2. An act, or the action, of ‘swapping’ or exchanging; (an) exchange. slang or colloq.
α. 1625. Purchas, Pilgrimes, I. IV. iv. § 2. 418. They … will either beg them, or make a swap with you in priuate.
1711. N. Blundell, Diary (1895), 90. I proposed a Swap with Samw. Edw. between my Button and his Gray Galloway.
1785. Burns, 1st Ep. J. Lapraik, xviii. We’se … hae a swap o’ rhymin-ware Wi’ ane anither.
1798. T. Morton, Speed the Plough, I. i. (1800), 7. Drabbit it, only to think of the zwaps and changes of this world!
1805. James, Milit. Dict. (ed. 2), s.v., A writership or a military appointment given for a seat in parliament may be called a swap.
1822. Cobbett, Rur. Rides (1830), 117*. Lord Castlereagh … was accused of making a swap, as the horse-jockeys call it, of a writer-ship against a seat.
1888. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Robbery under Arms, viii. A big, brown, resolute, well-bred horse he had got in a swap because the man that had him was afraid of him.
β. 1682. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 72 (1713), II. 191. They’d almost threaten to flee the Land, and put themselves under the Protection of the French King…. And a fair swop, cry I.
1702. Baynard, Cold Baths, II. (1706), 172. It cur’d her Ague, but made a worse swop; for she was … seiz’d with Epileptick Fits.
1714. Addison, Spect., No. 559, ¶ 6. These [two gentlemen] had made a foolish Swop between a Couple of thick bandy Legs, and two long Trapsticks that had no Calfs to them.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 370/1. The glass wares are so very rarely sold … ‘Swop, sir,’ I was told repeatedly, ‘they all goes in swop.’
1882. Sala, Amer. Revis. (1885), 365. [Railway] tickets are … the object of … barter, ‘swop’ and ‘trade’ generally.
1884. Manch. Exam., 6 Dec., 5/5. It is probable that Mr. Master will find little to complain of in the swop he has effected.
† b. ? An allowance made in exchanging. Obs.
1595. Compt Bk. D. Wedderburne (S.H.S.), 31. Item xs. for the swap to be allowit in the Witsonday termes meill nixt.
c. slang. To get (or have) the swap: to be dismissed from employment. (Cf. SWAP v. 9 a.)
1890. Barrère & Leland, Slang Dict., s.v. Swop.
1905. H. G. Wells, Kipps, I. v. § 3. Every time I’ve had the swap I’ve never believed I should get another Crib.
