swing

Noun

• a square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them

• in baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball
  • he took a vicious cut at the ball
    

• the act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it

• a jaunty rhythm in music

• a style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz

• changing location by moving back and forth

• a sweeping blow or stroke
  • he took a wild swing at my head
    

• mechanical device used as a plaything to support someone swinging back and forth

• a state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity
  • the party went with a swing
    
  • it took time to get into the swing of things
    

Verb

• engage freely in promiscuous sex, often with the husband or wife of one's friends
  • There were many swinging couples in the 1960's
    

• play with a subtle and intuitively felt sense of rhythm

• be a social swinger; socialize a lot

• have a certain musical rhythm
  • The music has to swing
    

• live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style
  • The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely
    

• alternate dramatically between high and low values
  • his mood swings
    
  • the market is swinging up and down
    

• hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement
  • The soccer player began to swing at the referee
    

• hang freely
  • the ornaments dangled from the tree
    
  • The light dropped from the ceiling
    

• make a big sweeping gesture or movement

• influence decisively
  • This action swung many votes over to his side
    

• change direction with a swinging motion; turn
  • swing back
    
  • swing forward
    

• move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner
  • He swung back
    

• move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
  • He swung his left fist
    
  • swing a bat
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  baseball swing , cut , golf stroke , golf shot , lilt , swing music , jive , swinging , vacillation , get around , dangle , drop , sweep , swing out , swing over , sway