vbl. sb. Also 6 swayrdynge, 7 swoording, soarding, 8 swerding, swording. [f. SWARD sb. or v. + -ING1.]
† 1. ? The squaring of timber preparatory to sawing. Obs.
Cf. LG. swaarde, the first and last piece of a tree trunk sawn lengthwise (Brem. Wbch.).
c. 1480. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 757. Carpentariis operantibus per iiij dies in lez Swardyng meremii apud Shynkley bankez.
1532–3. Durham Househ. Bk. (Surtees), 231. For fellyng of 19 treys, 6s. 4d. For toppynge and swayrdynge off te sayme, 19s.
2. The action of forming a sward; the process of covering, or becoming covered, with grassy turf.
1610. Folkingham, Feudigr., II. i. 48. The soile is so apte to fast-matting and swoording.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv., vi. 35. The thinner is thy Corne,… the more Grasse will grow among, which will help thee more in the Soarding of it.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 33. The Clay’s that are long in swerding.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 247. The broad-clover would, when it decayed, prevent the ground from swording to natural grass.
