swack

swack · adjective¹

1. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*swak“weak”
2. Old English · derived from*swæc
3. Scots · borrowed fromswack
4. Middle English · derived fromswac“weak”
5. English todayswack

From Middle English swac (“weak”), possibly borrowed via Scots swack, ultimately from Old English *swæc (found in derivative swæcehēow (“weakmindedness, nonsense”)), from Proto-West Germanic *swak (“weak”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian swäk, West Frisian swak, Dutch zwak, German Low German swack, German schwach, Norwegian Bokmål svak.

swack · noun²

Unknown. Speculatively, may be an extension of the sharp blow sense. Compare whack in the sense of "large portion of something".

swack · noun, verb, adverb³

Considered dialect by Wright, but now widespread. Scottish National Dictionary proposes an origin in Old Scots (Middle English) swak ("to throw violently"). Compare Scots swak, swack (“to throw with violent force, dash", also "a hard blow or whack”). Compare also Middle Dutch swacken (“to shake, wave”).