swing (swing)

verb (swings, swinging; past and past participle swung /swʌŋ/)

• 1move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis: [no object]: her long black skirt swung about her legs the door swung shut behind him [with object]: a priest began swinging a censer (as adjective swinging) local girls with their castanets and their swinging hips
• [no object] informal be executed by hanging: now he was going to swing for it
• [with object] turn (a ship or aircraft) to all compass points in succession, in order to test compass error.

• 2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] move by grasping a support from below and leaping: we swung across like two trapeze artists (swing oneself) the Irishman swung himself into the saddle
• 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

• 3 [with adverbial of direction] move or cause to move in a smooth, curving line: [with object]: she swung her legs to the side of the bed [no object]: the cab swung into the car park
• [with object] bring down (something held) with a curving movement, typically in order to hit an object: I swung the club and missed the ball
• [no object] (swing at) attempt to hit or punch, typically with a wide curving movement of the arm: he swung at me with the tyre wrench
• throw (a punch) with such a movement: she swung a punch at him
• [with object] Cricket (of a bowler) make a delivery of (a ball) deviate sideways from a regular course in the air.
• [no object] Cricket (of a ball) deviate in such a way.

• 4shift or cause to shift from one opinion, mood, or state of affairs to another: [no object]: opinion swung in the Chancellor’s favour [with object]: the failure to seek peace could swing sentiment the other way
• [with object] have a decisive influence on (something, especially a vote or election): an attempt to swing the vote in their favour
• [with object] informal succeed in bringing about: what swung it was the £17,000 she offered the panel to let her win

• 5 [no object] play music with an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm: the band swung on
• (of music) be played with such a rhythm.

• 6 [no object] informal (of an event, place, or way of life) be lively, exciting, or fashionable.

• 7 [no object] informal be promiscuous, especially by engaging in group sex or swapping sexual partners.

noun

• 1a seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth.
• a spell of swinging on such an apparatus.

• 2an act of swinging: with the swing of her arm, the knife flashed through the air
• 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
• [mass noun] 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
• [mass noun] Cricket sideways deviation of the ball from a regular path: [as modifier]: a swing bowler

• 3a 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

• 4 [mass noun] a style of jazz or dance music with an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm.
• the rhythmic feeling or drive of such music.

• 5North American a swift tour involving a number of stops, especially one undertaken as part of a political campaign.

• 6(in musical theatre) an understudy, typically one who covers multiple roles in the chorus of a particular production.