- To fling about
- Fling Fling (fl[i^]ng), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flung}
(fl[u^]ng); 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.
[1913 Webster]
'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings, Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
I know thy generous temper well. Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
2. To shed forth; to emit; to scatter. [1913 Webster]
The sun begins to fling His flaring beams. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Every beam new transient colors flings. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
3. To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation. [1913 Webster]
His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. --Walpole. [1913 Webster]
{To fling about}, to throw on all sides; to scatter.
{To fling away}, to reject; to discard. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
