fling
pronunciation
How to pronounce fling in British English:
UK [flɪŋ]
How to pronounce fling in American English:
US [flɪŋ]
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- Noun:
- a usually brief attempt
- a brief indulgence of your impulses
- the act of flinging
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- Verb:
- throw with force or recklessness
- move in an abrupt or headlong manner
- indulge oneself
- throw or cast away
Word Origin
- fling (v.)
- c. 1300, "to dash, run, rush," probably from or related to Old Norse flengja "to flog," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Proto-Germanic *flang- (cognates: Old Swedish flenga "strike," Danish flænge "slash, gash"), from a nasalized variant of PIE *plak- (2) "to strike" (see plague (n.)). Meaning "to throw, cast, hurl" is from mid-14c. An obsolete word for "streetwalker, harlot" was fling-stink (1670s). Related: Flung; flinging, but in Middle English with past tense flang, past participle flungen.
- fling (n.)
- early 14c., "attempt, attack," (in phrase make a fling), from fling (v.). Hence have a fling at, etc. "make a try." From 1560s as "a wild dash, an excited kicking up." Sense of "period of indulgence on the eve of responsibilities" first attested 1827. Meaning "vigorous dance" (associated with the Scottish Highlands) is from 1804.
Example
- 1. Fling them from hill to hill .
- 2. Or fling themselves after whisked-away hats .
- 3. Then the star 's pulsations and winds fling those atoms into space .
- 4. In so doing they fearlessly fling themselves into the air and catch onto a branch of the tree they are landing in .
- 5. The taxpayers do their part , and faithfully fling their hard-earned treasure into the gaping public maw .