sweeny

[ swee-nee ]

nounVeterinary Pathology.
  1. atrophy of the shoulder muscles in horses.

Origin of sweeny

1
An Americanism first recorded in 1820–30; compare dialectal German Schweine, Pennsylvania Dutch Schwinne “atrophy,” Old English swindan “to pine away, disappear”
  • Also swin·ney [swin-ee] /ˈswɪn i/ .

Words Nearby sweeny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sweeny in a sentence

  • Little sweeny says, in his Irish brogue, 'I can march twic't as fur for the seein' av her!'

    Overland | John William De Forest
  • Around sweeny, who garrisoned the left-hand wagon of the rearmost line, the fight was particularly noisy.

    Overland | John William De Forest
  • Little sweeny, finding that his mule was being crowded by an Apache's horse, uttered some indignant yelps.

    Overland | John William De Forest
  • sweeny instantly fired, and brought down another Apache, quite accidentally.

    Overland | John William De Forest
  • At that short distance sweeny would hardly have missed; and the nearest Apache, leaning forward with outspread arms, fell dead.

    Overland | John William De Forest

British Dictionary definitions for sweeny

sweeny

/ (ˈswiːnɪ) /


noun
  1. vet science a wasting of the shoulder muscles of a horse, esp as the result of a nerve injury

Origin of sweeny

1
C19: probably from German dialect Schweine emaciation, atrophy

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