fling1 verbfling2 noun
flingfling1 /flɪŋ/ ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle flung /flʌŋ/) [transitive always + adverb/preposition] 
WORD ORIGINfling1
Origin:
1200-1300 From a Scandinavian languageVERB TABLE
fling
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | fling |
| he, she, it | flings | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | flung |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have flung |
| he, she, it | has flung | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had flung |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will fling |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have flung |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am flinging |
| he, she, it | is flinging | |
| you, we, they | are flinging | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was flinging |
| you, we, they | were flinging | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been flinging |
| he, she, it | has been flinging | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been flinging |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be flinging |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been flinging |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He pulled the knife from her hand and flung it out of the window.
- Shoes and socks lay where they had been flung.
- We flung him the safety rope.
- When he gave her the tickets she ripped them up and flung them at him.
- Backed by Suzi, who did most of the energetic stuff, Ingrid strutted and flounced and flung her hair about.
- But I am old-fashioned enough to dislike hearing it flung about in railway carriages by mixed school parties.
- It flings its fine hairs in the face of the assailant, in a dense cloud.
- Now only the sea thunders rhythmically through the grotto, flinging up fans of salty spray.
- She flung herself into her room and began to pack frantically, wanting to cry with rage and shame.
- She closed her eyes in ecstasy as Jamie flung himself on her, accusing her of being a flirt.
- The left hand was flung out, the right lay closer to the body.
THESAURUS
to make something such as a ball or stone move quickly through the air using your hand: · I threw the ball back to him.· Protestors began throwing stones at the police.· I just threw the letter in the bin.
(also chuck) informal to throw something, especially in a careless way without using much effort: · She tossed her coat onto the bed.· Can you chuck me the remote control?
to throw something with a lot of force: · Someone hurled a brick through his window.
to angrily throw something somewhere with a lot of force, or to carelessly throw something somewhere because you have very little time: · He flung her keys into the river.· I flung a few things into a suitcase.
to throw something heavy using a lot of effort: · They heaved the log into the river.
to throw something high into the air over someone or something: · The police lobbed tear gas canisters over the heads of the demonstrators.
Longman Language Activatorto throw something to make something such as a ball fly through the air by moving your arm quickly and letting it go: · The boys were throwing and catching a frisbee on the beach.throw something on/onto/across/down etc something: · John stood on the beach, throwing stones into the waves.throw something at somebody/something (=in order to try and hit them): · She was so angry that she threw the pan straight at my head.· A couple of kids started throwing stones at my window.throw somebody something (=when you want someone to catch something): · Carrie threw him a box of matches.throw something to somebody: · The La Scala crowd cheered and threw flowers to the 57-year-old tenor.
informal to throw something, especially in a careless way: chuck something on/out of/into etc something: · She took off her shoes and chucked them on the floor.chuck somebody something: · Chuck me those cigarettes, would you?
to throw something carelessly, especially using a lot of force: sling something into/down/over etc something: · The baggage handlers just sling the cases in the back of the bus -- they don't care if anything gets broken.· He watched horrified as they slung the body over the cliff.
to throw something, especially in a careless, relaxed way: toss something into/out of/down etc something: · The fire was started when a passing motorist carelessly tossed a cigarette out of his car.toss somebody something: · He tossed her last week's edition of the "Herald".toss something to somebody: · "Catch!" said Sandra, tossing her bag to Andy.
to throw something so that it goes high in the air before coming down: lob something over/across etc something: · Local kids keep lobbing empty beer cans over our fence.lob something at somebody (=when you want to hit them): · Someone lobbed a book at me, and it hit me in the face.
American to throw something quickly and carelessly: pitch something across/over/onto etc something: · Tod pitched his coat onto the sofa and ran toward the kitchen.pitch something to somebody (=when you want someone to catch something): · She pitched the ball to the little boy.
to throw a heavy object in a violent way, especially because you are angry: hurl something at somebody/something (=when you want to hit them): · Some demonstrators began hurling bricks at the police.hurl something into/out of/across etc something: · He picked up the chair and hurled it across the room.
to throw something quickly and with a lot of force: fling something out of/down/into etc something: · He pulled the knife from her hand and flung it out of the window.fling something at somebody (=when you want to hit them): · When he gave her the tickets she ripped them up and flung them at him.fling somebody something (=when you want someone to catch something): · We flung him the safety rope.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
He flung himself down on the bed. She flung her arms round Louise.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe people flying to far-flung destinationsCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
He flung himself down on the bed. She flung her arms round Louise. expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe people flying to far-flung destinations· She flung open the door of the Document Examination room and glanced inside.· Like the back door, it was flung open revealing a tiny arched porch outside.· Before he could move for the doors, they were flung open imperiously, revealing a wide-eyed, agonised Auguste outside.· Getting out of bed, Rachel flung open the curtains and looked out at the September morning.· She flung open the solid pine door, standing aside for Jane and Robert to enter.· Walking along the top landing, he flung open a door at the end, and stood back for her to enter.· She flung open the window, grabbed a tea-towel and hooked the red-hot rice pan off the burner.· He flung open the door and was about to say something when he caught sight of the table.
NOUN· I grabbed her arm and flung it out of the window.· Then she walked out across the stone, taking tiny steps with her arms flung out wide for balance.· He splayed into the air; over the water; one arm flung back over his head like a trapeze artist.· Tilda appeared with a ball of oozing clay in her arms which she flung down on the table.
· She flung open the door of the Document Examination room and glanced inside.· There came a roar of rage from Challenger, and Sherlock Holmes hastily flung open the door.· Somewhat perturbed, Ted flung the door open still believing that the platelayers were playing tricks on him.· The seasons, the gatekeepers of Olympus, stood waiting to fling the doors wide.· Walking along the top landing, he flung open a door at the end, and stood back for her to enter.· And when the children come home for vacation, we can simply fling open the doors and once again be a family.· Spencer hurried after him and as Craig flung wide the doors, he felt himself being grasped from behind.· He grabbed his jacket and briefcase and flung open the car door.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► fling something open
1throw something to throw something somewhere using a lot of forcefling something into something- Mas flung himself into the economic and political life of America.
- As they passed Jess, flinging themselves into the Battle, she saw Garty Jenks among them.
- Did I fling myself into your arms?
- He flung himself into a chair without waiting to be asked.
- I flung myself into his chair, the big recliner.
- I wanted to fling myself into her arms and cry and let her comfort me, but I did not.
- Saying a prayer, she flung herself into her captors' bonfire.
- She fought back the sudden urge to run to him, to fling herself into his arms and beg his forgiveness.
- Sonia and Helen flung themselves into my arms, to Joe's great astonishment.
- And I do not give you permission to fling yourself at her feet, grab her hands and weep into her palms.
- As I flung myself at it, pounding footsteps were behind me.
- He flung himself at her, springing the top button of his jeans and jerking them down as he did so.
- McCoist flung himself at the ball and beat Lukic with a wonderful diving header.
- She flung herself at the gunman, who was then felled by police fire.
- Tabitha flung herself at the hard bunk with an angry sigh.
- They flung themselves at sailors in a bid for immortality.
- After the revolution, opposition leaders were flung into jail.
He flung the box into the river. People cheered and flung their hats into the air.► see thesaurus at throw2move something to throw or move something roughly and carelessly: He flung his coat over the back of a chair. She flung back the covers and got up. He flung the books aside angrily.3push somebody to push someone roughly, especially so that they fall to the ground SYN throw: He grabbed her arm and flung her to the ground.4move your body to move yourself or part of your body quickly, using a lot of force SYN throw: He flung himself down on the bed. She flung her arms round Louise.5say something to say something to someone in an angry way SYN throwfling something at somebody People were flinging all sorts of accusations at her. His own words were flung back at him.6fling something open to open a door or window roughly, using a lot of force: The door was flung open and Selkirk entered.7fling somebody in/into prison/jail to put someone in prison, often without having a good reason: Opposition leaders were flung into jail.8fling yourself into something to start doing something with a lot of energy: After the divorce he flung himself into his work to forget her.9fling yourself at somebody a)to move suddenly towards someone in order to attack them or hold them: He flung himself at her and snatched the bag. The children flung themselves at him, squealing with joy. b)informal to show in a very clear open way that you want to have a sexual relationship with someone – used to show disapprovalfling something ↔ off phrasal verb to quickly remove a piece of clothing SYN tear off: He flung off his coat.fling somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb British English informal1to make someone leave a place when they do not want to SYN throw somebody/something outfling out of He was flung out of school for swearing at a teacher.2to get rid of something you no longer want or need SYN throw something out: If it doesn’t work, just fling it out.fling1 verbfling2 noun
flingfling2 noun [countable usually singular] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- She left her husband after she learned about his fling with an exotic dancer.
- She wasn't interested in anything more than a casual fling.
- They had a fling years ago.
- Yes, I did go out with him, but it was just a fling.
- Last fling for the analogue gramophone?
- Only a quarter said they did it for love and just over one in six admitted it was a drunken fling.
- Prosecutors say the suspects plotted the killing after Zamora found out that Graham had had a fling with Jones.
- She thought her fling with another man would stay secret because she had been sterilised.
- Since retiring, he had a brief fling coaching the Lakers at the end of the 1993-94 season.
- The ex-Guards officer, who had a five-year fling with Di, wants thousands of pounds.
- There were flings, of course, but Nicholas was inept at all forms of promiscuity except gossip.
THESAURUS
when two people spend time together or live together because they are romantically or sexually attracted to each other: · After her marriage broke up, she had a series of disastrous relationships.relationship with: · I don’t want to start a relationship with her, because I’m going back to South Africa.relationship between: · Relationships between people of different cultures are often extremely difficult.be in a relationship: · Why are all the interesting men I meet already in relationships?sexual relationship: · Several of the psychiatrists admitted to having sexual relationships with patients.romantic relationship: · Even at 35, Bobby seemed unable to commit to a romantic relationship.
a secret sexual relationship between two people, when one or both of them is married to someone else: · The affair had been going on for years before her husband found out.affair with: · I had no idea that Mike had an affair with Carolyn!love affair: · Burton had been involved in a love affair with a woman who ended up taking most of his money.
a short and not very serious relationship: · Yes, I did go out with him, but it was just a fling.· She wasn’t interested in anything more than a casual fling.fling with: · She left her husband after she learned about his fling with an exotic dancer.have a fling: · They had a fling years ago.
an exciting and often short relationship between two people who feel very much in love with each other: · It was a beautiful summer romance, but they knew it couldn’t last.· Richard and Penny had made no great secret of their romance, even though they were both married.romance with: · My romance with Lois did not survive our high school graduation.
Longman Language Activatora romantic or sexual relationship when two people spend time together or live together because they are romantically or sexually attracted to each other: · After her marriage broke up, she had a series of disastrous relationships.relationship with: · I don't want to start a relationship with her, because I'm going back to South Africa.relationship between: · Relationships between people of different cultures are often extremely difficult.be in a relationship: · Why are all the interesting men I meet already in relationships?sexual relationship: · Several of the psychiatrists admitted to having sexual relationships with patients.romantic relationship: · Even at 35, Bobby seemed unable to commit to a romantic relationship.
a secret sexual relationship between two people, when one or both of them is married to someone else: · The affair had been going on for years before her husband found out.affair with: · I had no idea that Mike had an affair with Carolyn!love affair: · Burton had been involved in a love affair with a woman who ended up taking most of his money.
a short and not very serious relationship: · Yes, I did go out with him, but it was just a fling.· She wasn't interested in anything more than a casual fling.fling with: · She left her husband after she learned about his fling with an exotic dancer.have a fling: · They had a fling years ago.
an exciting and often short relationship between two people who feel very much in love with each other: · It was a beautiful summer romance, but they knew it couldn't last.· Richard and Penny had made no great secret of their romance, even though they were both married.romance with: · My romance with Lois did not survive our high school graduation.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY They had a brief fling a few years ago. He sees this as his final fling before he retires.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe people flying to far-flung destinationsCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
1a short and not very serious sexual relationship: They had a brief fling a few years ago. He sees this as his final fling before he retires. expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe people flying to far-flung destinations· The idea of a brief fling certainly crossed my mind.· They did have a brief fling.· A brief fling, no questions asked ... Nearby, a door opened then closed again.· Since retiring, he had a brief fling coaching the Lakers at the end of the 1993-94 season.· Nor was she the right candidate for a brief fling.
· Or that, getting on, she was looking for adventure, a final fling?· Women of that age, she'd read somewhere, often made a push for one final fling.· Phoebe's final fling with overpowering emotion.
They had a brief fling a few years ago.2a short period of time during which you enjoy yourself without worrying about anything: He sees this as his final fling before he retires.