sweora

Old English

Alternative forms

• swīera, swȳra, swīra

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswe͜oː.rɑ/

Noun

swēora m

1. neck
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius' History Against the Pagans

     Hē oft wȳsċte þæt ealle Rōmāne hæfden ānne swēoran, 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	swēora	swēoran
accusative	swēoran	swēoran
genitive	swēoran	swēorena
dative	swēoran	swēorum

Synonyms

• heals

Derived terms

• swēorbēag

Descendants

• English: swire
• Scots: swire