sling
pronunciation
How to pronounce sling in British English:
UK [slɪŋ]
How to pronounce sling in American English:
US [slɪŋ]
-
- Noun:
- a highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice
- a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones
- a shoe that has a strap that wraps around the heel
- a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released
- bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck
-
- Verb:
- hurl as if with a sling
Word Origin
- sling
- sling: English has at least two distinct words sling, maybe more – the picture is far from clear. The first to appear was the verb, ‘throw’ [13]. This was probably borrowed from Old Norse slyngva, but as it originally meant specifically ‘throw with a sling’ there is clearly some connection with the noun sling ‘strap for throwing stones’ [13], whose immediate source was perhaps Middle Low German slinge. Sling ‘loop or strap for holding things’ [14] may be the same word, although there is no conclusive proof for this. Sling ‘spirit-based drink’ [18] first came on the scene in America, but its origins are unknown.
- sling (n.1)
- c. 1300, "implement for throwing stones," from an unidentified continental Germanic source (such as Middle Low German slinge "a sling"); see sling (v.). The notion probably is of a sling being twisted and twirled before it is thrown. Sense of "loop for lifting or carrying heavy objects" first recorded early 14c. Meaning "piece of cloth tied around the neck to support an injured arm" is first attested 1720.
- sling (v.)
- c. 1200, "to knock down" using a sling, later "to throw" (mid-13c.), especially with a sling, from Old Norse slyngva, from Proto-Germanic *slingwanan (cognates: Old High German slingan, German schlingen "to swing to and fro, wind, twist;" Old English slingan "to creep, twist;" Old Frisian slinge, Middle Dutch slinge, Old High German slinga, German Schlinge "sling;" Middle Swedish slonga "noose, knot, snare"), from PIE *slengwh "to slide, make slide; sling, throw." Meaning "to hang from one point to another" (as a hammock) is from 1690s. Related: Slung; slinging.
- sling (n.2)
- sweetened, flavored liquor drink, 1807, American English, of unknown origin; perhaps literally "to throw back" a drink (see sling (v.)), or from German schlingen "to swallow."
- sling (n.3)
- "act of throwing," 1520s, from sling (v.).
Example
- 1. You bought us a sling ?
- 2. He then desperately resisted rescue attempts , swimming away from rescuers who tried to pull him from the near-freezing waters and climbing out of a sling dropped by a helicopter , police said .
- 3. If it 's the space that backpacks offer that you hate to give up , then try sling bags .
- 4. The laptop sling featuring iconic alexander girard patterns lets you transport your laptop in style , and never skimps on protection .
- 5. The injured arm is still in a sling .