fling definition | Dictionary.com

fling

[fling]

verb, flung, fling⋅ing, noun

–verb (used with object)

1.	to throw, cast, or hurl with force or violence: to fling a stone.

2.	to move (oneself) violently with impatience, contempt, or the like: She flung herself angrily from the room.

3.	to put suddenly or violently: to fling a suspect into jail.

4.	to project or speak sharply, curtly, or forcefully: He flung his answer at the questioner.

5.	to involve (oneself) vigorously in an undertaking.

6.	to move, do, or say (something) quickly: to fling a greeting in passing.

7.	to send suddenly and rapidly: to fling fresh troops into a battle.

8.	to throw aside or off.

9.	to throw to the ground, as in wrestling or horseback riding.

–verb (used without object)

10.	to move with haste or violence; rush; dash.

11.	to fly into violent and irregular motions, as a horse; throw the body about, as a person.

12.	to speak harshly or abusively (usually fol. by out): He flung out disgustedly against the whole human race.

–noun

13.	an act of flinging.

14.	a short period of unrestrained pursuit of one's wishes or desires: The week of partying was my last fling before starting a new job.

15.	an attempt at something: He took a fling at playwriting.

16.	a critical or contemptuous remark; gibe.

17.	Also called Highland fling. a lively Scottish dance characterized by flinging movements of the arms and legs.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME; cf. Sw flänga to fly, race

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To fling

fling (flĭng)

v. flung (flŭng), fling·ing, flings

v. tr.

To throw with violence: flung the dish against the wall. See Synonyms at throw.
To put or send suddenly or unexpectedly: troops that were flung into battle.
To throw (oneself) into an activity with abandon and energy.
To cast aside; discard: fling propriety away.

v. intr.
To move quickly, violently, or impulsively.
n.

The act of flinging.
A brief period of indulging one's impulses. See Synonyms at binge.
Informal A usually brief attempt or effort: You take a fling at it.
A brief sexual or romantic relationship.

[Middle English flingen, of Scandinavian origin; see plāk-² in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Fling

Fling\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flung; p. pr. & vb. n. Flinging.] [OE. flingen, flengen, to rush, hurl; cf. Icel. flengia to whip, ride furiously, OSw. flenga to strike, Sw. fl["a]nga to romp, Dan. flenge to slash.]

1. To cast, send, to throw from the hand; to hurl; to dart; to emit with violence as if thrown from the hand; as, to fing a stone into the pond.

'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings, Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings. --Dryden.

He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung. --Dryden.

I know thy generous temper well. Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire. --Addison.

2. To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.

The sun begins to fling His flaring beams. --Milton.

Every beam new transient colors flings. --Pope.

3. To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.

His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. --Walpole.

To fling about, to throw on all sides; to scatter.

To fling away, to reject; to discard.

Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition. --Shak.

To fling down. (a) To throw to the ground; esp., to throw in defiance, as formerly knights cast a glove into the arena as a challenge.

This question so flung down before the guests, . . . Was handed over by consent of all To me who had not spoken. --Tennyson. (b) To overturn; to demolish; to ruin.

To fling in, to throw in; not to charge in an account; as, in settling accounts, one party flings in a small sum, or a few days' work.

To fling off, to baffle in the chase; to defeat of prey; also, to get rid of. --Addison.

To fling open, to throw open; to open suddenly or with violence; as, to fling open a door.

To fling out, to utter; to speak in an abrupt or harsh manner; as, to fling out hard words against another.

To fling up, to relinquish; to abandon; as, to fling up a design.

Fling

Fling\, v. i. 1. To throw; to wince; to flounce; as, the horse began to kick and fling.

2. To cast in the teeth; to utter abusive language; to sneer; as, the scold began to flout and fling.

3. To throw one's self in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste.

And crop-full, out of doors he flings. --Milton.

I flung closer to his breast, As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath. --Mrs. Browning.

To fling out, to become ugly and intractable; to utter sneers and insinuations.

Fling

Fling\, n. 1. A cast from the hand; a throw; also, a flounce; a kick; as, the fling of a horse.

2. A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe; a sarcasm.

I, who love to have a fling, Both at senate house and king. --Swift.

3. A kind of dance; as, the Highland fling.

4. A trifing matter; an object of contempt. [Obs.]

England were but a fling Save for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing. --Old Proverb.

To have one's fling, to enjoy one's self to the full; to have a season of dissipation. --J. H. Newman. "When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure." --D. Jerrold.

Language Translation for : fling

Spanish: arrojar, lanzar,

German: schleudern,

Japanese: 投げる

More Translations »

fling (v.)

c.1300, probably from O.N. flengja, of uncertain origin. The M.E. intransitive sense is preserved in phrase have a fling at "make a try." The noun sense of "period of indulgence on the eve of responsibilities" first attested 1827. Meaning "vigorous dance" (associated with the Scottish Highlands) is from 1806. An obsolete word for "streetwalker, harlot" was fling-stink (1679).

fling

In addition to the idiom beginning with fling, also see last fling.

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