When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, The post of honor is
a private station.
Addison.
5. A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Syn. -- Rule; dominion; power; empire; control; influence; direction;
preponderance; ascendency.
Sway"-backed` (?), a. Having the back hollow or sagged, whether
naturally or as the result of injury or weakness; -- said of horses and
other animals.
Sway"-bra`cing (?), n. (Engin.) The horizontal bracing of a bridge,
which prevents its swaying.
Swayed (?), a. Bent down, and hollow in the back; sway-backed; -- said
of a horse. Shak.
Sway"ful (?), a. Able to sway. [R.] Rush.
Sway"ing, n. An injury caused by violent strains or by overloading; --
said of the backs of horses. Crabb.
Sweal (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Swealed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swealing.]
[OE. swelen to burn, AS. swelan; akin to G. schwelen to burn slowly,
schwül sultry, Icel. svæla a thick smoke.] To melt and run down, as the
tallow of a candle; to waste away without feeding the flame. [Written
also swale.] Sir W. Scott.
Sweal, v. t. To singe; to scorch; to swale; as, to sweal a pig by
singeing off the hair.
Swear (?), v. i. [imp. Swore (?), formerly Sware (&?;); p. p. Sworn
(?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swearing.] [OE. swerien, AS. swerian; akin to D.
zweren, OS. swerian, OHG. swerien, G. schwören, Icel. sverja, Sw.
svärja, Dan. sværge, Icel. & Sw. svara to answer, Dan. svare, Dan. &
Sw. svar an answer, Goth. swaran to swear, and perhaps to E. swarm.
√177. Cf. Answer.] 1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration,
with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed; to make a
promise, threat, or resolve on oath; also, to affirm solemnly by some
sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the Bible, the Koran, etc.
Ye shall swear by my name falsely.
Lev. xix. 12.