swain

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swain

 (swān)
n.
1. A country lad, especially a young shepherd.
2. A young male suitor or lover.

[Middle English, young man, servant, from Old Norse sveinn; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

swain

(sweɪn)
n
1. a male lover or admirer
2. a country youth
[Old English swān swineherd; related to Old High German swein, Old Norse sveinn boy; see swine]
ˈswainish adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

swain

(sweɪn)

n.
1. a male admirer or lover.
2. a country lad.
[before 1150; Middle English swein servant < Old Norse sveinn boy, servant, c. Old English swān, Old High German swein]
swain′ish, adj.
swain′ish•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.swain - a man who is the lover of a girl or young womanswain - a man who is the lover of a girl or young woman; "if I'd known he was her boyfriend I wouldn't have asked"
lover - a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
adult male, man - an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman); "there were two women and six men on the bus"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

swain

noun
A man who courts a woman:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

swain

[sweɪn] N (archaic, hum) (= lad) → zagal m; (= suitor) → pretendiente m, amante m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

swain

n (old, = suitor) → Freier m; (= lad)Bursch(e) m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in classic literature ?
"That is an imaginary lady love, at all events; whereas, without counting that amorous Jacob, you by your own account are surrounded with all sorts of swains eager to make love to you.
If the truth must be told, I did not like his best things at first, but long remained chiefly attached to his rubbishing pastorals, which I was perpetually imitating, with a whole apparatus of swains and shepherdesses, purling brooks, enamelled meads, rolling years, and the like.
Village swains rang the joy-bells (and got drunk on their money the same evening).
Then do the swains appear with tea, with lemonade, with sandwiches, with homage.
Thenceforth sweet Cecily kept the noiseless tenor of her way unvexed by the attentions of enamoured swains.
AN Ancient Maiden, standing on the edge of a wharf near a Modern Swain, was overheard rehearsing the words:
A FARMER of the Augustan age Perused in Virgil's golden page, The story of the secret won From Proteus by Cyrene's son How the dank sea-god sowed the swain Means to restore his hives again More briefly, how a slaughtered bull Breeds honey by the bellyful.
Awaken therefore that gentle passion in every swain: for lo!
Tell us I intreat you what is become of him?" "Yes, cold and insensible Nymph, (replied I) that luckless swain your Brother, is no more, and you may now glory in being the Heiress of Sir Edward's fortune."
And, in spite of his absurd position as Liza's lovesick swain at his age, you ought to see how he carries off the absurd position.
The faithful Seesaw had called at the side door of the brick house on the evening before his departure, and when Rebecca answered his knock, stammered solemnly, "Can I k-keep comp'ny with you when you g-g-row up?" "Certainly NOT," replied Rebecca, closing the door somewhat too speedily upon her precocious swain.
Beneath the stone before your eyes The body of a lover lies; In life he was a shepherd swain, In death a victim to disdain.