sway
verb /sweɪ/
/sweɪ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they sway | /sweɪ/ /sweɪ/ |
| he / she / it sways | /sweɪz/ /sweɪz/ |
| past simple swayed | /sweɪd/ /sweɪd/ |
| past participle swayed | /sweɪd/ /sweɪd/ |
| -ing form swaying | /ˈsweɪɪŋ/ /ˈsweɪɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to move slowly from side to side; to move something in this way
- (+ adv./prep.) The branches were swaying in the wind.
- Vicky swayed and fell.
- sway something (+ adv./prep.) They danced rhythmically, swaying their hips to the music.
Extra Examples- The curtains swayed gently in the breeze.
- He swayed back and forth like a drunken man.
- The cow's udder swayed from side to side as she walked along.
- The stage swayed alarmingly under their weight.
- She noticed that he was swaying slightly.
- Couples were swaying to the rhythm of the music.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- gently
- lightly
- a little
- …
- begin to
- in
- to
- [transitive, often passive] sway somebody to persuade somebody to believe something or do something synonym influence
- He's easily swayed.
- She wasn't swayed by his good looks or his clever talk.
Extra ExamplesTopics Discussion and agreementc2- Don't allow yourself to be swayed by emotion.
- His previous experience of playing against New Zealand probably swayed the decision to select him.
- The panel was not swayed by his arguments.
- The speech was important in swaying public opinion.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- easily
Word OriginMiddle English: corresponding in sense to Low German swājen ‘be blown to and fro’ and Dutch zwaaien ‘swing, walk totteringly’.