sweora

Old English

Alternative forms

• swīera, swȳra, swīra, sƿēora, sƿiera

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *swerhô. Cognate with Old Norse svíra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsweo̯rɑ/, /ˈsweːo̯rɑ/

Noun

sweora m

1. neck
   • c. 900, translation of Orosius' History Against the Pagans

     Hē oft wȳsċte þæt ealle Rōmāne hæfden ǣnne sweoran, þæt hē hraðost forċeorfan meahte.

     He often wished that all of Rome had one neck, so he could cut off all their heads with one blow.

2. (of water) the part where the distance between two shores is the least

Declension

Declension of sweora (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	sweora	sweoran
accusative	sweoran	sweoran
genitive	sweoran	sweorena
dative	sweoran	sweorum

Synonyms

• heals

Descendants

• English: swire
• Scots: swire