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sling

verb, noun — 15 senses

sling

verb

/ˈslɪŋ/

Etymology From Middle English slynge (noun), slyngen (verb), probably from Old Norse slyngja, slyngva (“to hurl”), from Proto-Germanic *slingwaną (“to worm, twist”) or compare Old English slingan (“to wind, twist”), from the same source. Compare German schlingen (“to swing, wind, twist”), Danish and Norwegian slynge), from Proto-Indo-European *slenk- (“to turn, twist”) (compare Welsh llyngyr (“worms, maggots”), Lithuanian sliñkti (“to crawl like a snake”), Latvian slìkt (“to sink”)).

1

To throw with a circular or arcing motion.

  • Everyone could sling stones at an hairbreadth, and not miss.2000, Bible (World English), Judges xx. 16
  • slings a broken rock aloft in aira. 1720, Joseph Addison, “Milton’s Style Imitated, in a Translation of a Story out of the Third Æneid”, in The Dramatick Works of Joseph Addison. With the Authour’s Poems, on Several Occasions:
2

To throw with a sling.

3

Nautical, Transport To pass a rope around (a cask, gun, etc.) preparatory to attaching a hoisting or lowering tackle.

4

To hang or stow (a tool or other equipment or supplies) so that the object is ready to deploy.

5

Slang To sell, peddle, or distribute (often illicitly, e.g. drugs, sex, etc.).

  • You may know a lot about chemistry, man, but you don't know jack about slinging dope.2008, Breaking Bad, Season 1, Episode 6
Derived terms
sling about, sling along, sling for, sling in, sling it in, sling off, sling one's hook, sling one up, sling out, sling over, sling the hatchet, sling to, sling up, undersling

sling

noun

Etymology From Middle English slynge (noun), slyngen (verb), probably from Old Norse slyngja, slyngva (“to hurl”), from Proto-Germanic *slingwaną (“to worm, twist”) or compare Old English slingan (“to wind, twist”), from the same source. Compare German schlingen (“to swing, wind, twist”), Danish and Norwegian slynge), from Proto-Indo-European *slenk- (“to turn, twist”) (compare Welsh llyngyr (“worms, maggots”), Lithuanian sliñkti (“to crawl like a snake”), Latvian slìkt (“to sink”)).

9 senses
  1. 1An instrument for throwing stones or other missiles…
  2. 2A kind of hanging bandage put around the neck, in which…
  3. 3A loop of cloth, worn around the neck, for supporting a…
  4. 4A loop of rope, or a rope or chain with hooks, for…
  5. 5A strap attached to a firearm, for suspending it from…
  6. 6A band of rope or iron for securing a yard to a mast.
  7. 7The act or motion of hurling as with a sling; a throw…
  8. 8A loop of rope or fabric tape used for various purposes…
  9. 9A drink composed of a spirit (usually gin) and water sweetened.
1

Engineering, Government, Military, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Politics, Tools, War, Weaponry An instrument for throwing stones or other missiles, consisting of a short strap with two strings fastened to its ends, or with a string fastened to one end and a light stick to the other.

  • The Sling is also a weapon of great antiquity, formerly in high estimation among the ancients.1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 43:
2

A kind of hanging bandage put around the neck, in which a wounded arm or hand is supported.

3

A loop of cloth, worn around the neck, for supporting a baby or other such load.

4

A loop of rope, or a rope or chain with hooks, for suspending a barrel, bale, or other heavy object, in hoisting or lowering.

5

A strap attached to a firearm, for suspending it from the shoulder.

6

Nautical, Transport In plural A band of rope or iron for securing a yard to a mast.

7

The act or motion of hurling as with a sling; a throw; figuratively, a stroke.

  • At one sling Of thy victorious arm, well-pleasing Son.1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
  • To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing, end them.1600, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, act III, scene I, line 55:
8

Climbing, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A loop of rope or fabric tape used for various purposes: e.g. as part of a runner, or providing extra protection when abseiling or belaying.

9

A drink composed of a spirit (usually gin) and water sweetened.

  • gin sling
  • a Singapore sling
Derived terms
27 termsarse in a sling, ass in a sling, baby sling, barrel sling, boob-sling, bottle sling, butt in a sling, gin sling, hand-sling, hand sling, Hawaiian sling, mint sling, Singapore sling, sling bag, sling bikini, sling blade, sling cart, sling dog, sling-fruit, sling ink, sling psychrometer, slings and arrows, slingshot, slingstone, sling-stone, sling stone, staff sling

sling

noun

Etymology From a shortening of spiderling.

1

A young or infant spider, such as one raised in captivity.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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