Swain

noun

A young male lover who courts a woman
A rustic or country youth, especially a shepherd

Usage

As love is one of the most sublime emotions that human beings are capable of experiencing, we naturally hold those who are in the throes of amorous passions in a sort of high esteem. Aside from the pet names lovers are often fond of bestowing upon one another, many cultures reserve special words to ascribe to a young person engrossed in romance. It makes sense that we would celebrate someone who knows the kind of bliss only love can afford us. A young man is seldom referred to as more than a young man, but when he falls in love he transcends such mundane status to become a swain!

A swain is a young man who is actively courting, or in a relationship with, a woman. Most often, swain refers particularly to a young adult who is in the early stages of romance with the woman of his affection - usually they are dating but not in a committed relationship yet - but a young man can be deemed a swain at any point in his courtship with her. In the more tolerant and egalitarian sensibilities of our modern Western society, swain could be used to refer to a man who falls in love with another, but historically the term pertained exclusively to a young man in a heterosexual relationship. However, any man who is enraptured by love is a veritable swain!

Swain may also refer to a country-dwelling or rural young man. While a swain in this sense can practice any occupation he desires, generally a swain refers to one who is a shepherd by trade. Also, as pastoral love scenes and stories have long been popular in Western art and fiction, a swain used in this sense often carries the connotation of the primary, amorous sense as well.

Example: Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique not only depicts the travails of a young swain, but was written by a swain to win the love of a young actress.

Example: The diligent swain tended to his flock of sheep on the hillside, moving them gently along toward fresh pastures.

Origin

The word swain dates back to the Middle English swain (alternatively swayn, sweyn, or swein), meaning "young servant of a knight" and, before that, to the early 12th Century in the form of the Old English word swein, meaning "servant." This, in turn, derives from the Old Norse sveinn, also meaning "servant." Sveinn also resulted in the compound word boatswain meaning "an officer responsible for a ship's equipment".

Derivative Words

Swainish: Swainish is the adjective form of swain, referring to someone or something that exhibits the qualities of a young suitor or lover, or country youth. A swainish guy is not nonchalant around his crush.

Example: The swainish youth approached his lover shyly, slipping a small gift into her hand as he passed.

Swainishness: Swainishness is a noun referring to one's amorous or affectionate qualities.

Example: The swainishness of the girl's lover was a bit overbearing - he sent flowers every day and always greeted her with a flood of compliments.

In Literature

From Alice Brown's Country Neighbors

'Isabel laughed a little to herself, in a rueful fashion, as she hurried along the road. Her own swain was waiting for her, but not for that would she abjure the quest.'

In this passage, Brown notes that while Isabel has a suitor, or swain, whom she is fond of, her affection is not so great as to deter her from the task at hand.

Mnemonic

You and your swain will be swayin' as you slow-dance together.
If your swain is romantic, he might kiss you in the rain.