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   swing

   /swɪŋ/

   verb

   • 1. move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis: "her long black skirt swung about her legs" Similar swayoscillatemove back and forthmove to and frowavewagdanglerockflutterflapvibratequiverbrandishwaveflourishwieldraiseshakewagtwirl
   • ▪ be executed by hanging: informal "now he was going to swing for it"
   • ▪ turn (a ship or aircraft) to all compass points in succession, in order to test compass error.
   • 2. move by grasping a support from below and leaping: "we swung across like two trapeze artists"
   • ▪ move quickly round to the opposite direction: "Ronni had swung round to face him"
   • ▪ move with a rhythmic swaying gait: "the riflemen swung along smartly" Similar stridemarchsweepstrollinformal:sashay
   • 3. move or cause to move in a smooth, curving line: "she swung her legs to the side of the bed"
   • ▪ bring down (something held) with a curving movement, typically in order to hit an object: "I swung the club and missed the ball"
   • ▪ attempt to hit or punch, typically with a wide curving movement of the arm: "he swung at me with the tyre wrench"
   • ▪ deliver (a punch) with a wide curving movement of the arm: "she swung a punch at him"
   • ▪ (of a bowler) make a delivery of (a ball) deviate sideways from a regular course in the air.
   • ▪ (of a delivery) deviate sideways from a regular course.
   • 4. shift or cause to shift from one opinion, mood, or state of affairs to another: "opinion swung in the Chancellor's favour" Similar changefluctuateoscillatewaveralternatesee-sawyo-yovaryshiftalterundulateebb and flowrise and fallgo up and downgo back and forth
   • ▪ have a decisive influence on (something, especially a vote or election): "an attempt to swing the vote in their favour"
   • ▪ succeed in bringing about: informal "what swung it was the £17,000 she offered the panel to let her win" Similar accomplishachieveobtainacquiregetsecurenetwinearnattainbagcapturegrabhookmanoeuvresort outinformal:wanglelandfix (up)workget hold ofnabcollarpull downknock off
   • 5. play music with a flowing but vigorous rhythm: "the band swung on"
   • ▪ (of music) be played with a flowing but vigorous rhythm.
   • 6. (of an event, place, or way of life) be lively, exciting, or fashionable. informal
   • 7. engage in group sex or swap sexual partners within a group, especially on a habitual basis. informal

   noun

   • 1. a seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth.
   • ▪ a period of time spent swinging back and forth on a seat suspended by ropes or chains.
   • 2. an act of swinging: "with the swing of her arm, the knife flashed through the air" Similar swayingoscillationundulationwaggingtoing and froingwobblelibration
   • ▪ the manner in which a golf club or a bat is swung: "the flaws in his swing weren't evident when he was an amateur"
   • ▪ the motion of swinging: "this short cut gave her hair new movement and swing"
   • ▪ an attempted blow or punch: "Neil took a swing at her"
   • ▪ sideways deviation of the ball from a regular path: "a swing bowler"
   • 3. a discernible change in opinion, especially the amount by which votes or points scored change from one side to another: "a five per cent swing to Labour" Similar changemoveturnaroundturnroundturnaboutreversalabout turnabout facevolte facechange of heartchange of loyaltiesU-turnsea changeswervebacktrackingrare:tergiversationtrendtendencydriftmovementcurrentcoursefluctuationchangeshiftswitchvariationoscillationOpposite stability
   • 4. a style of jazz or dance music with a flowing but vigorous rhythm. Similar rhythmbeatpulsecadencepacerhythmical flow/patternmeasuremetretempoliltinformal:groove
   • ▪ the rhythmic feeling or drive of swing.
   • 5. a swift tour involving a number of stops, especially one undertaken as part of a political campaign. North American
   • 6. (in musical theatre) an understudy, typically one who covers multiple roles in the chorus of a particular production.

   Word Origin Old Englishswingan ‘to beat, whip’, also ‘rush’, geswing ‘a stroke with a weapon’, of Germanic origin; related to German schwingen ‘brandish’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • S

     1

   • W

     4

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

   • G

     2

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