SWING

I. verb (swung; ~ing) Etymology: Middle English, to beat, fling, hurl, rush, from Old English ~an to beat, fling oneself, rush; akin to Old High German ~an to fling, rush Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to cause to move vigorously through a wide arc or circle , to cause to sway to and fro, c. to cause to turn on an axis, to cause to face or move in another direction , to suspend so as to permit swaying or turning, to convey by suspension , 4. a. to influence decisively , to bring around by influence, to handle successfully ; manage , to play or sing (as a melody) in the style of ~ music, intransitive verb to move freely to and fro especially in suspension from an overhead support, 2. to die by hanging, to hang freely from a support, to move in or describe a circle or arc:, to turn on a hinge or pivot, to turn in place, to convey oneself by grasping a fixed support , 4. to have a steady pulsing rhythm, to play or sing with a lively compelling rhythm, to shift or fluctuate from one condition, form, position, or object of attention or favor to another , 6. to move along rhythmically, to start up in a smooth vigorous manner , to hit or aim at something with a sweeping arm movement, 8. to be lively, exciting, and up-to-date, to engage freely in sex, Synonyms: see: ~ Synonyms: see: ~ II. noun Date: 14th century an act or instance of ~ing ; ~ing movement: as, a. a stroke or blow delivered with a sweeping arm movement , a sweeping or rhythmic movement of the body or a bodily part, a dance figure in which two dancers revolve with joined arms or hands, jazz dancing in moderate tempo with a lilting syncopation, b. the regular movement of a freely suspended object (as a pendulum) along an arc and back, back and forth sweep , c. steady pulsing rhythm (as in poetry or music), a steady vigorous movement characterizing an activity or creative work, d. a trend toward a high or low point in a fluctuating cycle (as of business activity), an often periodic shift from one condition, form, position, or object of attention or favor to another, 2. liberty of action, b. the driving power of something swung or hurled, steady vigorous advance ; driving speed , the progression of an activity, process, or phase of existence , the arc or range through which something ~s, something that ~s freely from or on a support, 6. a curving course or outline, a course from and back to a point ; a circular tour, jazz that is played (as by a big band) with a steady beat and that uses the harmonic structures of popular songs and the blues as a basis for improvisations and arrangements, a short pass in football thrown to a back running to the outside, III. adjective Date: 1933 of or relating to musical ~ , that may ~ often decisively either way on an issue or in an election