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Webster 1913 Edition

Swing

Swing

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Swung
;
Archaic imp.
Swang
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Swinging
.]
[OE.
swingen
, AS.
swingan
to scourge, to fly, to flutter; akin to G.
schwingen
to winnow, to swingle, oscillate,
sich schwingen
to leap, to soar, OHG.
swingan
to throw, to scourge, to soar, Sw.
svinga
to swing, to whirl, Dan.
svinge
. Cf.
Swagger
,
Sway
,
Swinge
,
Swink
.]
1.
To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to wave; to vibrate; to oscillate.
I tried if a pendulum would
swing
faster, or continue
swinging
longer, in case of exsuction of the air.
Boyle.
2.
To sway or move from one side or direction to another;
as, the door
swung
open
.
3.
To use a swing;
as, a boy
swings
for exercise or pleasure
. See
Swing
,
Noun.
, 3.
4.
(Naut.)
To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor;
as, a ship
swings
with the tide
.
5.
To be hanged.
[Colloq.]
D. Webster.
To swing round the circle
,
to make a complete circuit.
[Colloq.]
He had
swung round the circle
of theories and systems in which his age abounded, without finding relief.
A. V. G. Allen.

Swing

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward and forward, or from one side to the other.
He
swings
his tail, and swiftly turns his round.
Dryden.
They get on ropes, as you must have seen the children, and are
swung
by their men visitants.
Spectator.
2.
To give a circular movement to; to whirl; to brandish;
as, to
swing
a sword; to
swing
a club
; hence, colloquially, to manage;
as, to
swing
a business
.
3.
(Mach.)
To admit or turn (anything) for the purpose of shaping it; – said of a lathe;
as, the lathe can
swing
a pulley of 12 inches diameter
.
To swing a door
,
gate
, etc.
(Carp.)
,
to put it on hinges so that it can swing or turn.

Swing

,
Noun.
1.
The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation;
as, the
swing
of a pendulum
.
2.
Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other;
as, some men walk with a
swing
.
3.
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing; especially, an apparatus for recreation by swinging, commonly consisting of a rope, the two ends of which are attached overhead, as to the bough of a tree, a seat being placed in the loop at the bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is produced for amusement or exercise.
4.
Influence of power of a body put in swaying motion.
The ram that batters down the wall,
For the great
swing
and rudeness of his poise,
They place before his hand that made the engine.
Shakespeare
5.
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
6.
Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency.
“Take thy swing.”
Dryden.
To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to the full
swing
of his genius.
Burke.
Full swing
.
See under
Full
.
–
Swing beam
(Railway Mach.)
,
a crosspiece sustaining the car body, and so suspended from the framing of a truck that it may have an independent lateral motion.
–
Swing bridge
,
a form of drawbridge which swings horizontally, as on a vertical pivot.
–
Swing plow
, or
Swing plough
.
(a)
A plow without a fore wheel under the beam.
(b)
A reversible or sidehill plow.
–
Swing wheel
.
(a)
The scape-wheel in a clock, which drives the pendulum.
(b)
The balance of a watch.

Webster 1828 Edition

Swing

SWING

,
Verb.
I.
pret. and pp. swung.
1.
To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to wave; to vibrate.
I tried if a pendulum would swing faster, or continue swinging longer in our receiver, if exhausted.
2.
To practice swinging; as, a man swings for health or pleasure.
3.
To move or float; also, to turn round an anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.

SWING

,
Verb.
T.
To make to play loosely; to cause to wave or vibrate; as a body suspended in the air.
1.
To whirl round in the air.
--Swing thee in air, then dash thee down.
2.
To wave; to move to and from; as, a man swings his arms when he walks.
He swings his tail, and swiftly turns him round.
3.
To brandish; to flourish.

SWING

,
Noun.
A waving or vibratory motion; oscillation; as the swing of a pendulum.
1.
Motion from one side to the other. A haughty man struts or walks with a swing.
2.
A line, cord or other thing suspended and hanging loose; also, an apparatus suspended for persons to swing in.
3.
Influence or power of a body put in motion.
The ram that batters down the wall,
For the great swing and rudeness of his poise--
4.
Free course; unrestrained liberty or license.
Take thy swing.
To prevent any thing which may prove an obstacle to the full swing of his genius.
5.
The sweep or compass of a moving body.
6.
Unrestrained tendency; as the prevailing swing of corrupt nature; the swing of propensities.

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