SWING


Meaning of SWING in English

/ swɪŋ; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

( swung , swung / swʌŋ; NAmE /)

HANG AND MOVE

1.

to move backwards or forwards or from side to side while hanging from a fixed point; to make sth do this :

[ v ]

His arms swung as he walked.

A set of keys swung from her belt.

As he pushed her, she swung higher and higher (= while sitting on a swing) .

[ vn ]

He sat on the stool, swinging his legs.

2.

[+ adv. / prep. ] to move from one place to another by holding sth that is fixed and pulling yourself along, up, etc. :

[ vn ]

He swung himself out of the car.

[ v ]

The gunshot sent monkeys swinging away through the trees.

MOVE IN CURVE

3.

[+ adv. / prep. ] to move or make sth move with a wide curved movement :

[ v ]

A line of cars swung out of the palace gates.

[ vn ]

He swung his legs over the side of the bed.

[ v - adj , vn - adj ]

The door swung open.

She swung the door open.

TURN QUICKLY

4.

[+ adv. / prep. ] to turn or change direction suddenly; to make sth do this :

[ v ]

The bus swung sharply to the left.

[ vn ]

He swung the camera around to face the opposite direction.

TRY TO HIT

5.

swing (sth) (at sb/sth) to try to hit sb/sth :

[ v ]

She swung at me with the iron bar.

[ vn ]

He swung another punch in my direction.

CHANGE OPINION / MOOD

6.

swing (from A) (to B) | swing (between A and B) to change or make sb/sth change from one opinion, mood, etc. to another :

[ v ]

The state has swung from Republican to Democrat.

His emotions swung between fear and curiosity.

The game could swing either way (= either side could win it) .

[ vn ]

I managed to swing them round to my point of view.

DO / GET STH

7.

( informal ) to succeed in getting or achieving sth, sometimes in a slightly dishonest way :

[ vn ]

We're trying to swing it so that we can travel on the same flight.

[ vnn ]

Is there any chance of you swinging us a couple of tickets?

OF MUSIC

8.

[ v ] to have a strong rhythm

OF PARTY

9.

[ v ] ( informal ) if a party, etc. is swinging , there are a lot of people there having a good time

IDIOMS

- swing the balance

- swing both ways

- swing into action

- swing the lead

—more at room noun

PHRASAL VERBS

- swing by | swing by sth

■ noun

MOVEMENT

1.

[ C ] a swinging movement or rhythm :

He took a wild swing at the ball.

the swing of her hips

OF OPINION / MOOD

2.

[ C ] a change from one opinion or situation to another; the amount by which sth changes :

He is liable to abrupt mood swings (= for example from being very happy to being very sad) .

Voting showed a 10% swing to Labour.

HANGING SEAT

3.

[ C ] a seat for swinging on, hung from above on ropes or chains :

The kids were playing on the swings.

—picture at house

IN GOLF

4.

[ sing. ] the swinging movement you make with your arms and body when you hit the ball in the game of golf :

I need to work on my swing.

MUSIC

5.

[ U ] a type of jazz with a smooth rhythm, played especially by big dance bands in the 1930s

JOURNEY

6.

[ sing. ] ( NAmE ) a quick journey, especially one made by a politician, in which sb visits several different places in a short time :

a three-day campaign swing through California

IDIOMS

- get in / into the swing (of sth)

- go with a swing

- in full swing

- swings and roundabouts

For more information see the Cultural Guide

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English swingan to beat, whip , also rush , geswing a stroke with a weapon , of Germanic origin; related to German schwingen brandish.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.