sweam
sweam · sweams
A swimming of the headA swimming of the head; a fainting fit; a swoon.
Meaning
2 senses(dialectal)A swimming of the head; a fainting fit; a swoon.
(dialectal)A sudden qualm of sickness.
Origin
From Middle English sweem, sweme, swem (“a dizziness”), from Middle English swemen (“to feFrom Middle English sweem, sweme, swem (“a dizziness”), from Middle English swemen (“to feel faint, be overcome”), from Old English *swǣman (“to trouble, grieve”); and also from Old Norse sveimr (“a bustle, stir”), from Proto-Germanic *swaimaz (“a moving to and fro, a sway”), from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₁- (“to sway, swing”). Cognate with Old Norse svími (“dizziness, fainting”) (Danish svime (“a swoon”)), Dutch zwijm (“a swoon, fainting fit”), Old English swīma (“vertigo, dizziness, a swoon”). More at swim.
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