Standard Lemma guide
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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
A great heat; a scorching, singeing
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, dialectal, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Sweating.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, dialectal, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A state of indecision or confusion; a panicked state; a flap, fluster, or dither.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-England, Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To burn, scorch, singe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To burn slowly, melt (as a candle), sweal
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To smart, ache; tingle
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To be indecisive or in a state of confusion; to dither.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-England, Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To move or swing about.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
agitation resulting from active worry
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: fret, stew, sweat, lather
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: agitation
History
From Middle English *swithren, from Old Norse sviðra (“to burn, singe”). Related to Middle English swithen (“to burn, scorch, singe”), from Old Norse svíða (“to burn”).
First attested in 1501; of unknown origin.
