swally en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈswalɪ/ (UK)
Etymology
Inherited from Northern Middle English swelgh (“throat, whirlpool, pit”), from Old English ġeswelg, swelh, from Proto-West Germanic *swelg, swalgi, from Proto-Germanic *swelgaz, *swalgiz; thus a dialectal form of swallow (noun).
Meanings
- (Northern-England, Scotland, dialectal) The act of swallowing.
- (Northern-England, Scotland, dialectal) A throat or gullet.
-
(Scotland, informal) A drink or gulp.
I flung over my box and he asked if I wanted a "swally" of the South African wine bottle he held up before me.
1987, Agnes Owens, Like Birds in the Wilderness:
-
(Scotland, informal) A drinking session.
They are the one that will keep the party going, take you on to a good late night swally and if you're lucky, hook you up with some afters.
2017 December 15, Jules Boyle, “Roasters you always meet in Glasgow over Christmas”, in Glasgow Live:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| swolly | alternative | lexicographic | |
| swallie | alternative | lexicographic | |
| swelly | alternative | lexicographic | |
| swilly | alternative | lexicographic | |
| swallies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |