swine

swine
swine O.E. swin "pig, hog," from P.Gmc. *swinan (Cf. O.S., O.Fris. M.L.G., O.H.G. swin, M.Du. swijn, Du. zwijn, Ger. Schwein), neuter adjective (with suffix *-ino-) from PIE *su- (see SOW (Cf. sow) (n.)). The native word, largely ousted by PIG (Cf. pig). Applied to persons from late 14c. Phrase pearls before swine is from Matt. vii:6; an early English formation of it was:
Ne ge ne wurpen eowre meregrotu toforan eo wrum swynon. [c.1000]
The Latin word was confused in French with marguerite "daisy" (the "pearl" of the field), and in Dutch the expression became "roses before swine."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
, , / (collectively)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Swine — Swine, n. sing. & pl. [OE. swin, AS. sw[=i]n; akin to OFries. & OS. swin, D. zwijn, G. schwein, OHG. sw[=i]n, Icel. sv[=i]n, Sw. svin, Dan. sviin, Goth. swein; originally a diminutive corresponding to E. sow. See {Sow}, n.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any animal… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swine — [swaın] n [: Old English; Origin: swin] 1.) plural swine or swines informal someone who behaves very rudely or unpleasantly ▪ Leave her alone, you filthy swine! 2.) old use a pig …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • swine — [ swaın ] noun count 1. ) (plural swine or swines) INFORMAL an extremely unpleasant or cruel man 2. ) (plural swine) an old word meaning a pig …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • swine — swine; swine·man; …   English syllables

  • swine — [swīn] n. pl. swine [ME swin < OE, akin to Ger schwein < IE base * su , pig, sow > Gr hys,SOW1, L sus] 1. any of a family (Suidae) of omnivorous, artiodactylous mammals with a bristly coat and elongated, flexible snout; esp., a… …   English World dictionary

  • Swine — Swine, der mittlere der drei Ausflüsse der Oder in die Ostsee im Kreise Usedom Wollin des Regierungsbezirks Stettin (Preußische Provinz Pommern), trennt die Inseln Usedom u. Wollin, bildet bei Swinemünde den Hafen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Swine — Swine, die mittlere Ausmündung der Oder in die Ostsee, trennt die Inseln Usedom und Wollin …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Swine — Swine, mittlerer Ausfluß des Stettinerhaffs, trennt die Inseln Usedom u. Wollin, fließt bei Swinemünde in die Ostsee …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Swine —   die, polnisch Śwịna [ ɕfina], Mündungsarm der Oder zwischen den Inseln Usedom und Wollin, Woiwodschaft Szczecin (Stettin), Polen, verbindet das Stettiner Haff mit der Ostsee, etwa 16 km lang, 100 1 000 m breit und 9 17 m tief, für Seeschiffe… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • swine — swīn n any of various stout bodied short legged mammals (family Suidae) with a thick bristly skin and a long mobile snout esp a domesticated member of a species (Sus scrofa) that occurs wild in the Old World …   Medical dictionary

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