swing

To move backwards and forwards, or make something move this way.

• Her arms swing as she walks.
• The lamp swung in the wind.
• He was swinging a rope above his head.

Similar words: sway, oscillate

Common phrases: swing your arms, swing back, swing gently, swing a stick

To sit on a hanging seat and move backwards and forwards through the air.

• The children love to swing.
• She swung higher when her dad pushed her.
• Can we swing in the park after lunch?

Common phrases: swing at school, swing in pairs, swing really high

To change quickly between different feelings, opinions, amounts, or conditions.

• Prices can swing wildly.
• His mood swung from hope to fear.
• Support has swung towards the smaller party.

How to use it: swing from A to B (Her mood swung from joy to anger.); swing between A and B (Prices swing between twenty and fifty dollars.); swing towards something (Public opinion swung towards the new policy.)

Similar words: shift, fluctuate

Common phrases: swing wildly, swing between extremes, swing towards something

To dance with lively movements, especially to jazz music.

• Let's swing tonight!
• They swung together until midnight.
• Everyone was swinging to the jazz band.

How to use it: swing to something (The couples swung to the band's lively music.)

Similar words: dance

Common phrases: swing together, swing all night, swing to jazz

To be killed by hanging as a punishment, or receive a very severe punishment.

• The killer would swing at dawn.
• They said he would swing for murder.
• You'll swing for this, the angry captain shouted.

How to use it: swing for something (He feared he would swing for the crime.)

Similar words: be hanged

Common phrases: swing for murder, swing for something

A seat hanging from ropes or chains that moves backwards and forwards.

• The boy sat on the swing.
• There are two swings in the park.
• She pushed her daughter's swing gently.

Common phrases: on a swing, push the swing, garden swing

The way someone moves an arm or an object in a curve, especially to hit something.

• His golf swing is smooth.
• She missed the ball with her first swing.
• Daily practice has improved my swing.

Similar words: stroke

Common phrases: golf swing, practice your swing, a powerful swing

A lively style of dancing to jazz music, often with a partner.

• We learn swing on Fridays.
• She teaches swing at a dance school.
• Do you prefer swing or salsa?

Common phrases: learn swing, swing dancing, swing lessons, dance swing