swing / swing/ • v. (past swung / swəng/ ) 1. move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while or as if suspended: [intr.] her long black skirt swung about her legs | [tr.] a priest began swinging a censer | [as adj.] (swinging) local girls with their castanets and their swinging hips. ∎  move or cause to move in alternate directions or in either direction on an axis: [intr.] a wooden gate swinging crazily on its hinges | [tr.] he swung the heavy iron door shut. ∎  [tr.] turn (a ship or aircraft) to all compass points in succession, in order to test compass error. ∎  [intr.] inf. be executed by hanging: now he was going to swing for it.2. [intr.] move by grasping a support from below and leaping: we swung across like two trapeze artists| (swing oneself) the Irishman swung himself into the saddle. ∎  move quickly around to the opposite direction: Ronni had swung around to face him. ∎  move with a rhythmic swaying gait: the riflemen swung along smartly.3. move or cause to move in a smooth, curving line: [tr.] he swung her bag up onto the rack | [intr.] the cab swung into the parking lot. ∎  [tr.] bring down (something held) with a curving movement, typically in order to hit an object: I swung the club and missed the ball. ∎  [intr.] (swing at) attempt to hit or punch, typically with a wide curving movement of the arm: he swung at me with the tire iron. ∎  [tr.] throw (a punch) with such a movement: she swung a punch at him.4. shift or cause to shift from one opinion, mood, or state of affairs to another: [intr.] opinion swung in the chancellor's favor | [tr.] the failure to seek a peace could swing sentiment the other way. ∎  [tr.] have a decisive influence on (something, esp. a vote or election): an attempt to swing the vote in their favor. ∎  [tr.] inf. succeed in bringing about: with us backing you we might be able to swing something.5. [intr.] play music with an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm: the band swung on. ∎  (of music) be played with such a rhythm.6. [intr.] inf. (of an event, place, or way of life) be lively, exciting, or fashionable.7. [intr.] inf. be promiscuous, typically by engaging in group sex or swapping sexual partners.• n. 1. a seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth. ∎  a spell of swinging on such an apparatus.2. an act of swinging: with the swing of her arm, the knife flashed through the air. ∎  the manner in which a golf club or a bat is swung: improve your golf swing. ∎  the motion of swinging: this short cut gave her hair new movement and swing. ∎  [in sing.] a smooth flowing rhythm or action: they came with a steady swing up the last reach.3. a discernible change in opinion: the South’s swing to the right.4. a style of jazz or dance music with an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm. ∎  the rhythmic feeling or drive of such music.5. a swift tour involving a number of stops, esp. one undertaken as part of a political campaign.PHRASES: get (back) into the swing of things inf. get used to (or return to) being easy and relaxed about an activity or routine one is engaged in.in full swing at the height of activity: by nine-thirty the dance was in full swing.swing into action quickly begin acting or operating.DERIVATIVES: swing·er n.

swing Form of jazz prevalent in the USA during the 1930s and 1940s. It originated in the music of small groups who played a rhythm of four even beats to the bar, as opposed to the two beats to the bar of the New Orleans' style. The groups also made more use of soloists, particularly saxophonists. Larger groups, such as those of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, made great use of the new possibilities. Their innovations were taken up by white musicians such as Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller.

Swing ★★½ 1998 (R)

Martin Luxford (Speer) is out on parole, having learned to play the sax in the slammer from his cell-mate Jack (Clemons, who does the sax solos). So he decides to put together a neo-'40s swing band in Liverpool with his sultry ex-girlfriend, singer Joan (Stansfield), who's now married to jealous cop, Andy (McCall). Martin has to recruit musicians, get them gigs, and manage to avoid getting into trouble that could land him back in jail (and win back Joan). It's an amusing “let's put on a show” Brit style. 98m/C VHS . GB Hugo Speer, Lisa Stansfield, Tom Bell, Rita Tushingham, Paul Usher, Alexei Sayle, Danny McCall, Clarence Clemons, James Hicks, Scot Williams, Tom Georgeson; D: Nick Mead; W: Nick Mead; C: Ian Wilson.

swing pt., pp. swung †
A. scourge, flog OE.;
†
B. move impetuously OE.;

C. flourish, brandish (a weapon, etc.) XIV;

D. move backwards and forwards XVI. OE. str. vb. swingan = (M)LG. swingen, OHG. swingan (G. schwingen brandish. shake, etc.).

swing1 a discernible change in opinion, especially the amount by which votes or points scored change from one side to another. The word in this sense is recorded from the late 19th century.

Also, a style of jazz or dance music with an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm; the term is recorded from the end of the 19th century.