From the earlier term Swedish turnip, because the Swedes introduced the plant to the English in the 1700s.
Meanings
(UK) The fleshy yellow root of a variety of rapeseed, Brassica napus var. napobrassica, resembling a large turnip, grown as a vegetable.
The plant from which this is obtained.
(Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland) The turnip.
(UK, slang) The head.
Gotta be so careful nowadays; local copper's no problem but the cow from the council done me 'cos this almost brained a punter when it fell on his swede. 2005, The Spectator, volume 299, page 49:
Coined by Michel Gondry in the film Be Kind Rewind, from the claim that films produced in this way were imported from Sweden.
Meanings
To produce a low-budget remake of a film without the use of professional actors or filming techniques.
Chances are you've sweded something before without even knowing it. 2008, “The Five Most Awesomely Sweded Movies”, in Esquire:
Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones and John Rambo are this era's King Arthur, Beowulf and Robin Hood – and sweding represents a playful and heartfelt engagement with their myths. 2014, The Guardian, Sweded movies: the end of Hollywood as we know it?: