swing
♦ swing /sw'ɪŋ/ (swings swinging swung)
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V n, V-ing
If something swings or if you swing it, it moves repeatedly backwards and forwards or from side to side from a fixed point.
The sail of the little boat swung crazily from one side to the other...
She was swinging a bottle of wine by its neck...
Ian lit a cigarette and sat on the end of the table, one leg swinging.
[N-COUNT] usu with supp
Swing is also a noun.
...a woman in a tight red dress, walking with a slight swing to her hips.
2 [VERB] V prep/adv, V prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If something swings in a particular direction or if you swing it in that direction, it moves in that direction with a smooth, curving movement.
The torchlight swung across the little beach and out over the water, searching...
The canoe found the current and swung around...
Roy swung his legs carefully off the couch and sat up.
[N-COUNT]
Swing is also a noun.
When he's not on the tennis court, you'll find him practising his golf swing.
3 [VERB] V adv/prep, V n prep/adv
If a vehicle swings in a particular direction, or if the driver swings it in a particular direction, they turn suddenly in that direction.
Joanna swung back on to the main approach and headed for the airport...
The tyres dug into the grit as he swung the car off the road.
4 [VERB] V adv
If someone swings around, they turn around quickly, usually because they are surprised.
She swung around to him, spilling her tea without noticing it.
5 [VERB] V at n, V at n
If you swing at a person or thing, you try to hit them with your arm or with something that you are holding.
Blanche swung at her but she moved her head back and Blanche missed...
I picked up his baseball bat and swung at the man's head.
[N-COUNT]
Swing is also a noun.
I often want to take a swing at someone to relieve my feelings.
= swipe
6 [N-COUNT]
A swing is a seat hanging by two ropes or chains from a metal frame or from the branch of a tree. You can sit on the seat and move forwards and backwards through the air.
7 [N-UNCOUNT]
Swing is a style of jazz dance music that was popular in the 1930's. It was played by big bands.
8 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A swing in people's opinions, attitudes, or feelings is a change in them, especially a sudden or big change.
There was a massive twenty per cent swing away from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats...
Dieters suffer from violent mood swings.
9 [VERB] V, V adv/prep
If people's opinions, attitudes, or feelings swing, they change, especially in a sudden or extreme way.
In two years' time there is a presidential election, and the voters could swing again...
The mood amongst Tory MPs seems to be swinging away from their leader.
10 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If something is in full swing, it is operating fully and is no longer in its early stages.
When we returned, the party was in full swing and the dance floor was crowded...
11 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you get into the swing of something, you become very involved in it and enjoy what you are doing.
Everyone understood how hard it was to get back into the swing of things after such a long absence.
12 [PHRASE]
If you say that a situation is swings and roundabouts, you mean that there are as many gains as there are losses. (BRIT)
13
no room to swing a cat: see catswing bridge (swing bridges)
[N-COUNT]
A swing bridge is a low bridge that can be opened either in the middle or on one side in order to let ships pass through.swing door (swing doors)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Swing doors are doors that can open both towards you and away from you. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use swinging door)swing vote (swing votes)
[N-COUNT]
In a situation when people are about to vote, the swing vote is used to talk about the vote of a person or group which is difficult to predict and which will be important in deciding the result. (mainly AM JOURNALISM)
...a Democrat who holds the swing vote on the committee.swing vot|er (swing voters)
[N-COUNT]
A swing voter is a person who is not a firm supporter of any political party, and whose vote in an election is difficult to predict. (AM; in BRIT, use floating voter)
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V n, V-ing
If something swings or if you swing it, it moves repeatedly backwards and forwards or from side to side from a fixed point.
The sail of the little boat swung crazily from one side to the other...
She was swinging a bottle of wine by its neck...
Ian lit a cigarette and sat on the end of the table, one leg swinging.
[N-COUNT] usu with supp
Swing is also a noun.
...a woman in a tight red dress, walking with a slight swing to her hips.
2 [VERB] V prep/adv, V prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If something swings in a particular direction or if you swing it in that direction, it moves in that direction with a smooth, curving movement.
The torchlight swung across the little beach and out over the water, searching...
The canoe found the current and swung around...
Roy swung his legs carefully off the couch and sat up.
[N-COUNT]
Swing is also a noun.
When he's not on the tennis court, you'll find him practising his golf swing.
3 [VERB] V adv/prep, V n prep/adv
If a vehicle swings in a particular direction, or if the driver swings it in a particular direction, they turn suddenly in that direction.
Joanna swung back on to the main approach and headed for the airport...
The tyres dug into the grit as he swung the car off the road.
4 [VERB] V adv
If someone swings around, they turn around quickly, usually because they are surprised.
She swung around to him, spilling her tea without noticing it.
5 [VERB] V at n, V at n
If you swing at a person or thing, you try to hit them with your arm or with something that you are holding.
Blanche swung at her but she moved her head back and Blanche missed...
I picked up his baseball bat and swung at the man's head.
[N-COUNT]
Swing is also a noun.
I often want to take a swing at someone to relieve my feelings.
= swipe
6 [N-COUNT]
A swing is a seat hanging by two ropes or chains from a metal frame or from the branch of a tree. You can sit on the seat and move forwards and backwards through the air.
7 [N-UNCOUNT]
Swing is a style of jazz dance music that was popular in the 1930's. It was played by big bands.
8 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A swing in people's opinions, attitudes, or feelings is a change in them, especially a sudden or big change.
There was a massive twenty per cent swing away from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats...
Dieters suffer from violent mood swings.
9 [VERB] V, V adv/prep
If people's opinions, attitudes, or feelings swing, they change, especially in a sudden or extreme way.
In two years' time there is a presidential election, and the voters could swing again...
The mood amongst Tory MPs seems to be swinging away from their leader.
10 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If something is in full swing, it is operating fully and is no longer in its early stages.
When we returned, the party was in full swing and the dance floor was crowded...
11 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you get into the swing of something, you become very involved in it and enjoy what you are doing.
Everyone understood how hard it was to get back into the swing of things after such a long absence.
12 [PHRASE]
If you say that a situation is swings and roundabouts, you mean that there are as many gains as there are losses. (BRIT)
13
no room to swing a cat: see catswing bridge (swing bridges)
[N-COUNT]
A swing bridge is a low bridge that can be opened either in the middle or on one side in order to let ships pass through.swing door (swing doors)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Swing doors are doors that can open both towards you and away from you. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use swinging door)swing vote (swing votes)
[N-COUNT]
In a situation when people are about to vote, the swing vote is used to talk about the vote of a person or group which is difficult to predict and which will be important in deciding the result. (mainly AM JOURNALISM)
...a Democrat who holds the swing vote on the committee.swing vot|er (swing voters)
[N-COUNT]
A swing voter is a person who is not a firm supporter of any political party, and whose vote in an election is difficult to predict. (AM; in BRIT, use floating voter)