Swiss Admiral, subs. phr. (naval).—A pretender to naval rank: cf. Fr. amiral suisse = a naval officer solely employed on shore, or who has never been to sea.
Switch, verb. (venery).—To copulate: see Ride and cf. Swinge.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 297. If Paris had not got enough Of trimming her bewitching buff, But longs to switch the gypsy still.
To switch in, verb. Phr. (American).—To be expeditious in movement.
Swive, verb. (venery).—To
copulate: see Ride (Grose).
Hence swiver = a performer
(q.v.); a wencher (q.v.); Queen
of Swiveland = Venus.
. . . . MS. Cantab., Ff. ii. 38, f. 136. A! seyde the pye, by Godys wylle, How thou art swyved y schalle telle.
. . . . MS. Lincoln, A. i. 17, f. 149. And now ere sary swywers brokyne owte of bande, Thay fille alle fulle this Ynglande, and many other lande. In everilk a toune ther es many one, And everilk wyfe wenys hir selfe thar scho hafes one.
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, Miller's Tale, 666 [Skeat (1895), 1. v., 111]. Thus swyved was the carpenteres wyf, For al his keping and his Ialousye; and Absolon hath kist hir nether ye. Ibid., l. 4178. Yon wench wol I swive, etc.
c. 1508 [?], Colyn Blowbols Testament, [MS. Rawl., C. 86, fol. 106, verso]. Alle tho that ben very good drynkers, And eke also alle feoble swyvers, And they also that can lyft a bole.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Fottere. To iape, to sard, to fucke, to swive, to occupy. [Also see = Fottarie, Fottetrice, Fottitire, and Fottitura.]
1612. Cotgrave, Dict. s.v. Chevaucherie. A riding, a swiving.
c. 1620. Percy Folio MS., 455. Of all the ffishes in the Sea Give me a woman's swiving.
1656. Fletcher, Martiall, xi. 98. I can swive four times in a night; but thee Once in four years I cannot occupie. Ibid., Poems, 101. Nor will I swive thee though it bee Our very first nights jollitie. Nor shall my couch or pallat lye In common both to thee and I.
1659. Legend Capt. Jones [Halliwell]. Knights, squires, fools, In every town rejoice at his arrival, The townsmen where he comes their wives do swive all.
d. 1680. Rochester, Ramble (Works, 1718). And so may that false woman thrive That dares prophane the c—t I swive.
1686. Dorset, Faithful Catalogue [Works (1718), ii. 33]. And from St James's to the land of Thule, There's not a Whore who swives so like a Mule.
1741. Voyage to Lethe, 7. The Charming Sally, built by the celebrated Herman Swiveitt, on the River Medway.
Swivel-eyed, adj. phr. (old).—Squinting
(Grose). Hence
swivel-eye = a squint-eye; a
boss-eye (q.v.).
1865. Dickens, Mutual Friend, ii. 12. She found herself possessed of what is colloquially termed a swivel-eye.
Swivelly, adj. (common).—Drunk:
see Screwed.
Swizzle (or Swizzy), subs.
(common).—1. Generic for
drink; also (2) various compounded
drinks—rum and water,
ale and beer mixed, and (West
Indies) what is known in America
as a cock-tail. As verb = to
tope, to swill (q.v.); and
swizzled = drunk; also see
screwed.
1850. Hannay, Singleton Fontenoy. 'It serves me right for deserting rum,#my proper tipple. Boy, the amber fluid!' Here Mr. Snigg mixed himself some swizzle and consoled himself.
Swobber. See Swabber.
Swoddy. See Swad.
