Standard Lemma guide

swith

adj · adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈswɪθ/
  • rhymes with -ɪθ

1

adj

Meaning 1

Strong; vehement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dialectal, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Quickly, speedily, promptly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dialectal, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Strongly; vehemently; very.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dialectal, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English swith, from Old English swīþ (“strong, mighty, powerful, active, severe, violent”), from Proto-West Germanic *swinþ, from Proto-Germanic *swinþaz (“strong”). Cognate with Old Saxon swīth, Middle High German swind (Modern German geschwind (“fast, quick, swift”)), Middle Low German swîde (Modern Low German swied (“very, quite”)), Dutch gezwind (“fast, quick, swift”), West Frisian swiid (“impressive, special”), Old Norse svinnr, sviðr (“quick, clever, understanding, wise”), Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌹𐌽𐌸𐍃 (swinþs, “strong”). Possibly related to sound.

From Middle English swith, swithe, from Old English swīþe (“very much, exceedingly, severely, violently, fiercely”), from Proto-West Germanic *swinþā, from Proto-Germanic *swinþê (“strongly”), from Proto-Indo-European *swento- (“active, healthy”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian swied (“very”), West Frisian swiid (“very”), Dutch zwijd (“very, extremely”), Low German swied (“quite, very”), Dutch gezwind (“quick, swift”). Not related to superficially similar English swift.