swally

English

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈswalɪ/

Etymology 1

    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).

    Alternative forms

    Noun

    swally (plural swallies)

    1. (Northern England, Scotland, dialectal) The act of swallowing.
    2. (Northern England, Scotland, dialectal) A throat or gullet.
    3. (Scotland, informal) A drink or gulp.
      • 1987, Agnes Owens, Like Birds in the Wilderness:
        I flung over my box and he asked if I wanted a "swally" of the South African wine bottle he held up before me.
    4. (Scotland, informal) A drinking session.
      • 2017 December 15, Jules Boyle, “Roasters you always meet in Glasgow over Christmas”, in Glasgow Live‎[1]:
        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.

    Etymology 2

      Inherited from Northern Middle English sweligh, from Old English swelgan, from Proto-West Germanic *swelgan, from Proto-Germanic *swelganą; thus a dialectal form of swallow (verb).

      Alternative forms

      Verb

      swally (third-person singular simple present swallys, present participle swallying, simple past and past participle swallied)

      1. (Northern England, Scotland, dialectal) To swallow (food etc).
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