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Antonyms for swain


Grammar : Noun
Spell : sweyn
Phonetic Transcription : sweɪn



Definition of swain

Origin :
  • mid-12c., "young man attendant upon a knight," from Old Norse sveinn "boy, servant, attendant," from Proto-Germanic *swainaz "attendant, servant," properly "one's own (man)," from PIE *swoi-no-, from root *swe- "oneself, alone, apart" (see idiom). Cognate with Old English swan "shepherd, swineherd," Old Saxon swen, Old High German swein. Meaning "country or farm laborer" is from 1570s; that of "lover, wooer" (in pastoral poetry) is from 1580s.
  • noun beau
Example sentences :
  • The more costly the musical ingredients, the greater the swain's devotion!
  • Extract from : « Jane Journeys On » by Ruth Comfort Mitchell
  • A swain touched then his lute, or whatever you may call it, to his Dulcinea.
  • Extract from : « The Lady and the Pirate » by Emerson Hough
  • Her own swain was waiting for her, but not for that would she abjure the quest.
  • Extract from : « Country Neighbors » by Alice Brown
  • He called in the university for Swain, and the two went "down town" together.
  • Extract from : « Sons and Lovers » by David Herbert Lawrence
  • Mr. Swain is an honest and an able man, though he believes in things I do not.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill
  • Fears for my own safety alone kept me from telling you and Mr. Swain.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill
  • At this moment the door opened, and Mr. Swain came in hurriedly.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill
  • "I do not fear work, Mr. Swain," I remarked, with some pride.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill
  • I pulled him into Mr. Swain's private room, where we would be free of the clerks.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill
  • I cannot bear to recall my misery of mind after Mr. Swain's death.
  • Extract from : « Richard Carvel, Complete » by Winston Churchill

Synonyms for swain

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019