Sweal

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /swiːl/

Alternative forms

• swale

Origin

From Middle English swelen, from Old English swelan ("to burn, be burnt up, inflame", st vb.) (compare Old English swǣlan ("to burn", wk vb.)), from Proto-Germanic *swelaną ("to smoulder, burn slowly, cool"), from Proto-Indo-European *swel- ("to shine, warm"). Cognate with Dutch zwelen ("to smoulder"), Low German swelen ("to smoulder"), German schwelen ("to smoulder"), Icelandic svala ("to cool"). Related to swelter.

Full definition of sweal

Verb

1. (intransitive) To burn slowly.
2. (intransitive) To melt and run down, as the tallow of a candle; waste away without feeding the flame.
3. (transitive) To singe; scorch; dress (as a hog) with burning or singeing.
4. (transitive, dialectal) To consume with fire; burn.
5. (transitive, dialectal) To make disappear; cause to waste away; diminish; reduce.
• 1913, D. H. Lawrence, ,Here!—But you know, they can sweal a tumour away.

Anagrams

• lawes, swale, Wales, wales, weals