Online dictionaryOnline dictionary
Synonyms, antonyms, pronunciation

  Home
English Dictionary      examples: 'day', 'get rid of', 'New York Bay'




Fling   /flɪŋ/   Listen
noun
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."
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."
5.
A short period during which one indulges one's wishes, whims, or desires in an unrestrained manner.
6.
A love affair.
7.
A casual or brief attempt to accomplish something. (informal)
Synonyms: shot.
8.
A period during which one tries a new activity; as, he took a fling at playing tennis.
To have one's fling, to enjoy one's self to the full; to have a season of dissipation. "When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure."



verb
Fling  v. t.  (past & past part. flung; pres. part. flinging)  
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." "He... like Jove, his lighting flung." "I know thy generous temper well. Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire."
2.
To shed forth; to emit; to scatter. "The sun begins to fling His flaring beams." "Every beam new transient colors flings."
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."
To fling about, to throw on all sides; to scatter.
To fling away, to reject; to discard. "Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition."
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."
(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.
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  v. i.  (past & past part. flung; pres. part. flinging)  
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." "I flung closer to his breast, As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath."
To fling out, to become ugly and intractable; to utter sneers and insinuations.






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








Advanced search
     Find words:
Starting with
Ending with
Containing
Matching a pattern  

Synonyms
Antonyms
Quotes
Words linked to  

only single words



Share |
Add this dictionary
to your browser search bar





"Fling" Quotes from Famous Books



... delight, and he was never weary of watching them at feast or in the combat. Sometimes, indeed, when some battle on earth was impending, he would appear, riding upon his eight-footed grey horse, and with white shield on arm would fling his glittering spear into the ranks of the warriors as signal for the fight to begin, and would rush into the fray with his war-cry, "Odin has ...
— Told by the Northmen: - Stories from the Eddas and Sagas • E. M. [Ethel Mary] Wilmot-Buxton

... vicariously for Rash; she had not expected to be asked to take part in a horrible bit of play-acting. This dressing-up; this mock hospitality; this desecration of the things which "dear Mrs. Allerton" had used; this mingling of ignorance and pretentiousness, inspired a rage prompting her to fling the back of her hand at the ridiculous creature's face. She couldn't do that, of course. She couldn't even express herself as she felt. She had come on a mission, and she must carry out that mission; and to carry out the mission she must be as suave as her indignation would allow of. She ...
— The Dust Flower • Basil King

... public scandal! I have, perhaps, a strange nature, but such as I am, I am. There are too many of our high-born families already, flaunting their immorality and low licentiousness in the face of the mocking, grinning populace,—I for one could never make up my mind to fling the honor of my son's mother to them, as though it were a bone for dogs to fight over. No—I have another ...
— Thelma • Marie Corelli

... must be customary with him, my companion shook his head to fling back his thick hair, which darkened his forehead whenever ...
— The Choice of Life • Georgette Leblanc

... maiden asked him about his day's task; and when she heard it; she told the Prince that the horse would rush at him with flame bursting from its nostrils, and its mouth wide open to tear him. But, she said, if he would take the bridle that hung on the crook by the door, and fling it straight into the horse's mouth, the beast would become quite tame. He promised to do so; and they talked all day of pleasant things. And when it came toward evening the maiden reminded him that the ...
— Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17) - Folk-Lore, Fables, And Fairy Tales • Various


More quotes...



Copyright © 2025 Dictionary One.com