📒 to move backwards or forwards or from side to side while hanging from a fixed point; to make something do this
- His arms swung as he walked.
- As he pushed her, she swung higher and higher (= while sitting on a swing).
- swing from something A set of keys swung from her belt.
📒 to move from one place to another by holding something that is fixed and pulling yourself along, up, etc.
- + adv./prep. The gunshot sent monkeys swinging away through the trees.
- swing yourself + adv./prep. He swung himself out of the car.
- He swung up into the saddle and rode off.
📒 to move or make something move with a wide curved movement
- + adv./prep. A line of cars swung out of the palace gates.
- swing something + adv./prep. He swung his legs over the side of the bed.
- + adj. The door swung open.
📒 to change or make somebody/something change from one opinion, mood, etc. to another
- swing (from A) (to B) The state has swung from Republican to Democrat.
- swing (between A and B) His emotions swung between fear and curiosity.
- The game could swing either way (= either side could win it).
📒 to turn or change direction suddenly; to make something do this
- + adv./prep. She swung back to face him.
- The bus swung sharply to the left.
- swing something + adv./prep. He swung the camera around to face the opposite direction.
📒 to try to hit somebody/something
- swing at somebody/something She swung at me with the iron bar.
- swing something (at somebody/something) He swung another punch in my direction.
📒 to succeed in getting or achieving something, sometimes in a slightly dishonest way
- swing something We're trying to swing it so that we can travel on the same flight.
- swing somebody something Is there any chance of you swinging us a couple of tickets?
📒 to have a strong rhythm
📒 if a party, etc. is swinging, there are a lot of people there having a good time
📒 when somebody says there’s no room to swing a cat, they mean that a room is very small and that there is not enough space
📒 to affect the result of something in one way rather than another
- In an interview, smart presentation can swing the balance in your favour.
- New evidence swung the balance against the prosecution.
📒 to be bisexual (= sexually attracted to both men and women)
📒 to really try to achieve something great, even when it is not reasonable to expect to be so successful
- entrepreneurs who think big and swing for the fences
- Investors need to manage risk and not swing for the fences.
📒 to start doing something quickly and with a lot of energy
- The ambulance crew swung into action to resuscitate the patient.
- The rescue operation swung into action immediately.
- The emergency services swung into action as soon as the disaster was reported.
📒 to pretend to be ill when in fact you are not, especially to avoid work
- I don't think there's anything wrong with her—she's just swinging the lead.