Definitions for: Swing


[n] changing location by moving back and forth
[n] a square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them
[n] in baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball; "he took a vicious cut at the ball"
[n] the act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
[n] a sweeping blow or stroke; "he took a wild swing at my head"
[n] mechanical device used as a plaything to support someone swinging back and forth
[n] a jaunty rhythm in music
[n] a style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
[n] a state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity; "the party went with a swing"; "it took time to get into the swing of things"
[v] change drastically"his mood swings"; "the market is swinging up and down"
[v] hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement; "The soccer player began to swing at the referee"
[v] engage freely in promiscuous sex; often with the husband or wife of one's friends; "There were many swinging couples in the 1960's"
[v] make a big sweeping gesture or movement
[v] play with a subtle and intuitively felt sense of rhythm
[v] move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner; "He swung back"
[v] change direction with a swinging motion; turn; "swing back"; "swing forward"
[v] move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting; "He swung his left fist"; "swing a bat"
[v] be a social swinger; socialize a lot
[v] influence decisively; "This action swung many votes over to his side"
[v] live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style; "The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely"
[v] hang freely; "the ornaments dangled from the tree"; "The light dropped from the ceiling"
[v] have a certain musical rhythm; "The music has to swing"



Webster (1913) Definition: Swing, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Swung; Archaic imp.
Swang; p. pr. & vb. n. Swinging.] [OE. swingen, AS.
swingan to scourge, to fly, to flutter; akin to G. schwingen
to winnow, to swingle, oscillate, sich schwingen to leap, to
soar, OHG. swingan to throw, to scourge, to soar, Sw. svinga
to swing, to whirl, Dan. svinge. Cf. Swagger, Sway,
Swinge, Swink.]
1. To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to
wave; to vibrate; to oscillate.

I tried if a pendulum would swing faster, or
continue swinging longer, in case of exsuction of
the air. --Boyle.

2. To sway or move from one side or direction to another; as,
the door swung open.

3. To use a swing; as, a boy swings for exercise or pleasure.
See Swing, n., 3.

4. (Naut.) To turn round by action of wind or tide when at
anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.

5. To be hanged. [Colloq.] --D. Webster.

To swing round the circle, to make a complete circuit.
[Colloq.]

He had swung round the circle of theories and
systems in which his age abounded, without finding
relief. --A. V. G.
Allen.


Swing, v. t.
1. To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward
and forward, or from one side to the other.

He swings his tail, and swiftly turns his round.
--Dryden.

They get on ropes, as you must have seen the
children, and are swung by their men visitants.
--Spectator.

2. To give a circular movement to; to whirl; to brandish; as,
to swing a sword; to swing a club; hence, colloquially, to
manage; as, to swing a business.



3. (Mach.) To admit or turn (anything) for the purpose of
shaping it; -- said of a lathe; as, the lathe can swing a
pulley of 12 inches diameter.

To swing a door, gate, etc. (Carp.), to put it on hinges
so that it can swing or turn.


Swing, n.
1. The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory
motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation; as,
the swing of a pendulum.

2. Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other;
as, some men walk with a swing.

3. A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose,
upon which anything may swing; especially, an apparatus
for recreation by swinging, commonly consisting of a rope,
the two ends of which are attached overhead, as to the
bough of a tree, a seat being placed in the loop at the
bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is
produced for amusement or exercise.

4. Influence of power of a body put in swaying motion.

The ram that batters down the wall, For the great
swing and rudeness of his poise, They place before
his hand that made the engine. --Shak.

5. Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter
of the largest object that can be turned in it.

6. Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency.
``Take thy swing.'' --Dryden.

To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to
the full swing of his genius. --Burke.

Full swing. See under Full.

Swing beam (Railway Mach.), a crosspiece sustaining the car
body, and so suspended from the framing of a truck that it
may have an independent lateral motion.

Swing bridge, a form of drawbridge which swings
horizontally, as on a vertical pivot.

Swing plow, or Swing plough.
(a) A plow without a fore wheel under the beam.
(b) A reversible or sidehill plow.

Swing wheel.
(a) The scape-wheel in a clock, which drives the pendulum.
(b) The balance of a watch.

Synonyms: baseball swing, cut, dangle, drop, get around, golf shot, golf stroke, jive, lilt, sway, sweep, swing music, swing out, swing over, swinging, vacillation

See Also: act upon, action, activeness, activity, aim, approach, approach shot, be, blow, brachiate, change, contra danse, contredanse, country dancing, country-dance, direct, displace, downswing, draw, drive, driving, droop, fade, fluctuate, fornicate, go, handle, hang, hook, hooking, influence, jazz, lash, live, locomote, loll, mechanical device, motion, move, move, move back and forth, movement, oscillate, play, playground, plaything, putt, putting, rhythmicity, shot, slice, slicing, socialise, socialize, square dance, square dancing, stroke, take, take aim, toy, train, trapeze, travel, vacillate, vibrate, waver, waver, weave, wield, wind up, work

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