Swing Mood Swɪŋ Liable Abrupt Voting Showed Labour

• he took a wild swing at the ball.
• the swing of her hips
• he is liable to abrupt mood swings (= for example from being very happy to being very sad).
• voting showed a 10% swing to labour.

swing

1. a swinging movement or rhythm
• He took a wild swing at the ball.
• the swing of her hips
2. a change from one opinion or situation to another; the amount by which something changes
• He is liable to abrupt mood swings (= for example from being very happy to being very sad).
• Voting showed a 10% swing to Labour.
• There are indications of a swing towards nuclear power.
3. a seat for swinging on, hung from above on ropes or chains
• The kids were playing on the swings.
4. the swinging movement you make with your arms and body when you hit the ball in the game of golf
• I need to work on my swing.
5. a type of jazz with a smooth rhythm, played especially by big dance bands in the 1930s
6. a quick journey, especially one made by a politician, in which somebody visits several different places in a short time
• a three-day campaign swing through California
7. to get used to an activity or a situation and become fully involved in it
• I’ve only been here a week so I haven’t got into the swing of things yet.
8. to be lively and enjoyable
• She made the whole party go with a swing.
9. to have a strong rhythm
10. having reached a very lively level
• When we arrived the party was already in full swing.
11. used to say that there are advantages and disadvantages whatever decision you make
• If you earn more, you pay more in tax, so it's all swings and roundabouts.
• What you gain on the swings you may lose on the roundabouts.

Extra Examples

• Her dad pushed her on the swing.
• Ohio is a swing state in the presidential election.
• She suffers from severe mood swings.
• Some kids were playing on the swings.
• The Conservatives suffered an adverse swing of 6%.
• The golfers were practising/practicing their swings.
• The party needs a swing of only 2.5% to win the seat.
• There was a political swing of the pendulum back to the right.
• This represents a swing of 14% against the party.
• a dramatic swing against the socialists
• a late swing towards the Tories
• a sharp swing in the attitudes of economists
• golfers practising their swings
• his sudden swings of mood
• signs of a late swing to the Democrats
• the swing away from science in schools
• the technique for making the perfect golf swing
• violent swings in policy
• He is liable to abrupt mood swings.
• Voting showed a 10% swing to Labour.

Word Origin

• Old English swingan ‘to beat, whip’, also ‘rush’, geswing ‘a stroke with a weapon’, of Germanic origin; related to German schwingen ‘brandish’.