Sc. Forms: 5, 8 swarff, 6 swerfe, suerf, 6–9 swerf, 7 swarfe, 7– swarf. [Related to SWARF v.] A swoon, a fainting-fit; a state of faintness or insensibility.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 349. The Sotheron … Throuch full gluttre in swarff swappyt lik swyn.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 225. With that I seme for to swoune, thoghht I na swerf tak.
c. 1590. J. Stewart, Poems (S.T.S.), II. 43/14. The scorching sychs,… Quhilk vith suerfs oursets his hardie hart.
1606. Birnie, Kirk-Buriall (1833), 13. As if such superciliosity could sweeten the bitter swarfes of their sowre death.
1676. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiogr., ix. (1848), 143. Mr. Blair did fall into a fit of fainting or a kind of swarf.
1742. J. Mill, Diary (S.H.S.), 3. I … fell down suddenly by a swerf or stoppage of blood.
1871. W. Alexander, Johnny Gibb, xlix. Aw heard that he was feerious far gane in a swarf the tither day.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, 208. She wad gang aff again in a swarf.
