swing /swing/ intransitive verb (pat swung or (rare) swang; pap swung)- To sway or wave to and fro, as a body hanging freely
- To amuse oneself on a swing
- To oscillate
- To hang
- To be hanged
- To sweep, wheel, sway
- To swerve
- To move with a swaying gait
- (of a ship) to turn round (eg to test the compass)
- To attract, excite or be perfectly appropriate to place or mood (informal)
- (of a person) to be thoroughly responsive (to jazz, any of the arts or any aspect of living) (informal)
- To be lively or up-to-date (informal)
- To take part in sexual activity on an uncommitted basis (informal)
transitive verb- To cause to swing
- To set swinging
- To control
- To sway
- To hurl, whirl
- To brandish (eg a weapon)
- To transport in suspension (eg an object suspended from a crane)
- To move in a sweep
- (of a bell) to sound or send out (sound) by swinging
- To indicate by an oscillation
- To impart swing to
- To perform as swing-music
- To fix up so as to hang freely
- To influence the result of (eg a doubtful election, decision, etc) in favour of an individual or party
- To arrange, fix (informal)
noun- An act, manner, etc or spell of swinging
- Oscillating, waving, sweeping
- Motion to and fro
- A shift from one position, etc to a markedly different one (lit and figurative)
- The sweep or compass of a swinging body
- The sweep of a golf club, bat, or the like
- A punch delivered with a swing of the arm
- Sway
- Scope, free indulgence
- Impetus
- Vigorous sweeping rhythm
- Big-band jazz music with strong rhythm and improvisations, as played in the 1930s and 1940s (also swingˈ-music)
- A suspended seat or carriage for the amusement of swinging
- A reversal of fortune
- The movement of voters from one party to another as compared with the previous election
- The act or trick of making the ball swerve in the air (cricket)
ORIGIN: OE swingan; Ger schwingen swingˈer /swingˈər/ noun - A person or thing that swings
- A ball bowled so as to swerve in the air (cricket)
- A badly centred gramophone record
- A lively and up-to-date person (informal)
- A person engaging freely in sexual activity, usu in groups (informal)
- Either of the middle pair in a team of six horses
- A Hindu devotee who swings from hooks in his flesh
swinging /swingˈing/ noun - The act of moving to and fro in suspension, esp as a pastime
- Hanging (informal)
- The practice of unrestrained sexual activity, esp in groups, swapping partners, etc (informal)
- Hanging by hooks, as by a Hindu devotee
adjective- Swaying
- Turning
- With a swing
- Having a free easy motion
- With it, fully alive to, and appreciative of, the most recent trends and fashions in living (informal)
- Up-to-date (informal)
- Lively (informal)
- Sexually promiscuous, esp indulging in partner-swapping or group sex (informal)
swingˈingly adverb swingomˈeter noun A device which shows the direction and extent of the current swing of the counted votes in an election swingˈy adjective (informal) Having swing swingˈarm noun The part of a motorcycle chassis to which the rear wheel is attached swingˈ-back noun - A reaction
- A camera back that can be tilted
swingˈbeat noun A type of dance music influenced by hip-hop, rap music, and rhythm and blues swingˈbin noun A rubbish bin with a lid that opens when pushed and swings shut swingˈboat noun A boat-shaped swinging carriage for fairs, etc swing bridge noun A bridge that may be opened by swinging it to one side swingˈ-by noun The passing of a spacecraft near a planet in order to use its gravitational field to change course swing door noun A door (usu one of a pair) that opens either way and swings shut by itself swingˈ-handle noun A usu semicircular or arched handle, as on a pail or some kettles, so attached at both ends that it can swing to one side swingˈing-boom noun (nautical) The spar that stretches the foot of a lower studding-sail swingˈing-post noun The post to which a gate is hung swing-music see swing (n) above. swingˈ-plough noun A plough without a fore-wheel under the beam swingˈ-shelf noun A hanging shelf swing shift noun (US) - The work shift between the day and night shifts (eg from mid-afternoon until midnight)
- The workers allocated to this shift
- The workers employed to take irregular shifts over a seven-day week to enable other workers to work a regular five-day week
swingˈ-stock noun An upright timber, with a blunt upper edge for swingling flax on (also swingˈing-block) swingˈ-swang noun A complete (to and fro) oscillation swingtail cargo aircraft noun An aircraft with tail that swings aside to give access to the full cross-section of the fuselage for rapid loading and unloading of cargo swingˈtree noun A whippletree swing vote noun (US) - A casting vote
- A vote that determines the outcome of a ballot
swingˈ-wheel noun The wheel that drives a clock pendulum swingˈ-wing (aircraft) noun Variable-geometry aircraft get (back) into the swing of things To become (re-)accustomed to a routine in full swing - In fully active operation
- In mid-career
swing by To arrive or visit casually, often on the way elsewhere swings and roundabouts A situation in which advantages and disadvantages cancel each other out swing the lead see under lead2 |