swing the lead (nautical and milit sl)

To invent specious excuses to evade duties

swing /swing/

intransitive verb (pat swung or (rare) swang; pap swung)

1. To sway or wave to and fro, as a body hanging freely
2. To amuse oneself on a swing
3. To oscillate
4. To hang
5. To be hanged
6. To sweep, wheel, sway
7. To swerve
8. To move with a swaying gait
9. (of a ship) to turn round (eg to test the compass)
10. To attract, excite or be perfectly appropriate to place or mood (informal)
11. (of a person) to be thoroughly responsive (to jazz, any of the arts or any aspect of living) (informal)
12. To be lively or up-to-date (informal)
13. To take part in sexual activity on an uncommitted basis (informal)

transitive verb

1. To cause to swing
2. To set swinging
3. To control
4. To sway
5. To hurl, whirl
6. To brandish (eg a weapon)
7. To transport in suspension (eg an object suspended from a crane)
8. To move in a sweep
9. (of a bell) to sound or send out (sound) by swinging
10. To indicate by an oscillation
11. To impart swing to
12. To perform as swing-music
13. To fix up so as to hang freely
14. To influence the result of (eg a doubtful election, decision, etc) in favour of an individual or party
15. To arrange, fix (informal)

noun

1. An act, manner, etc or spell of swinging
2. Oscillating, waving, sweeping
3. Motion to and fro
4. A shift from one position, etc to a markedly different one (lit and figurative)
5. The sweep or compass of a swinging body
6. The sweep of a golf club, bat, or the like
7. A punch delivered with a swing of the arm
8. Sway
9. Scope, free indulgence
10. Impetus
11. Vigorous sweeping rhythm
12. Big-band jazz music with strong rhythm and improvisations, as played in the 1930s and 1940s (also swingˈ-music)
13. A suspended seat or carriage for the amusement of swinging
14. A reversal of fortune
15. The movement of voters from one party to another as compared with the previous election
16. The act or trick of making the ball swerve in the air (cricket)

swingˈer /swingˈər/ noun

1. A person or thing that swings
2. A ball bowled so as to swerve in the air (cricket)
3. A badly centred gramophone record
4. A lively and up-to-date person (informal)
5. A person engaging freely in sexual activity, usu in groups (informal)
6. Either of the middle pair in a team of six horses
7. A Hindu devotee who swings from hooks in his flesh

swinging /swingˈing/ noun

1. The act of moving to and fro in suspension, esp as a pastime
2. Hanging (informal)
3. The practice of unrestrained sexual activity, esp in groups, swapping partners, etc (informal)
4. Hanging by hooks, as by a Hindu devotee

adjective

1. Swaying
2. Turning
3. With a swing
4. Having a free easy motion
5. With it, fully alive to, and appreciative of, the most recent trends and fashions in living (informal)
6. Up-to-date (informal)
7. Lively (informal)
8. 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

1. A reaction
2. 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)

1. The work shift between the day and night shifts (eg from mid-afternoon until midnight)
2. The workers allocated to this shift
3. 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)

1. A casting vote
2. 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

1. In fully active operation
2. 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