/ flɪŋ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( flung , flung / flʌŋ; NAmE /)
1.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to throw sb/sth somewhere with force, especially because you are angry
SYN hurl :
Someone had flung a brick through the window.
He flung her to the ground.
The door was suddenly flung open.
He had his enemies flung into prison .
➡ note at throw
2.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to move yourself or part of your body suddenly and with a lot of force :
She flung herself onto the bed.
He flung out an arm to stop her from falling.
3.
fling sth (at sb) to say sth to sb in an aggressive way
SYN hurl :
[ vn ]
They were flinging insults at each other.
[also v speech ]
—see also far-flung
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PHRASAL VERBS
- fling yourself at sb
- fling yourself into sth
- fling sth off / on
- fling sb out
- fling sth out
SYN throw out
■ noun [ usually sing. ] ( informal )
1.
a short period of enjoyment when you do not allow yourself to worry or think seriously about anything :
He was determined to have one last fling before retiring.
2.
fling (with sb) a short sexual relationship with sb
—see also Highland fling
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense go violently ): perhaps related to Old Norse flengja flog. The main verb sense is based on an earlier sense reckless movement of the body and dates from the early 19th cent.