{
    "term": "swing",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "swing",
            "heSheIt": "swings"
        },
        "pastSimple": "swung",
        "pastParticiple": "swung",
        "ingForm": "swinging"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to move backwards or forwards or from side to side while hanging from a fixed point; to make something do this",
            "sensetop": "swing from somethingswing something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His arms swung as he walked."
                },
                {
                    "text": "As he pushed her, she swung higher and higher *(= while sitting on a swing)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A set of keys swung from her belt.",
                    "contextForm": "swing from something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He sat on the stool, swinging his legs.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I could see him swinging from the branch of a large tree."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let your arms swing freely at your sides."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rope was swinging slightly in the breeze."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The elephant swung its trunk from side to side."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["gently", "slowly", "violently"],
                "preposition": ["from"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to move from one place to another by holding something that is fixed and pulling yourself along, up, etc.",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.swing yourself + adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The gunshot sent monkeys swinging away through the trees.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung himself out of the car.",
                    "contextForm": "swing yourself + adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung up into the saddle and rode off."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swung down from the tree in one easy movement."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["slowly", "suddenly", "sharply"],
                "verb + swing": ["let something"],
                "preposition": ["from", "into", "towards/​toward"],
                "phrases": ["swing open", "swing shut"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to move or make something move with a wide curved movement",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.swing something + adv./prep.+ adj.swing something + adj.",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A line of cars swung out of the palace gates.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung his legs over the side of the bed.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something + adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The door swung open.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adj."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She let the door swing shut behind her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swung the door open.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something + adj."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["slowly", "suddenly", "sharply"],
                "verb + swing": ["let something"],
                "preposition": ["from", "into", "towards/​toward"],
                "phrases": ["swing open", "swing shut"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to change or make somebody/something change from one opinion, mood, etc. to another",
            "sensetop": "swing (from A) (to B)swing (between A and B)swing somebody/something (to something)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The state has swung from Republican to Democrat.",
                    "contextForm": "swing (from A) (to B)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "His emotions swung between fear and curiosity.",
                    "contextForm": "swing (between A and B)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The game could swing either way *(= either side could win it)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I managed to swing them round to my point of view.",
                    "contextForm": "swing somebody/something (to something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her mood could swing rapidly from gloom to exhilaration."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Opinion swung heavily to the left."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The balance of power swung wildly from one party to the other."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["rapidly", "suddenly", "wildly"],
                "preposition": ["from", "to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to turn or change direction suddenly; to make something do this",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.swing something + adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She swung back to face him.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bus swung sharply to the left."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung the camera around to face the opposite direction.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something + adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nick swung towards her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swung around angrily, her eyes blazing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Suddenly she swung back on her heel."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung the car round in a dangerous U-turn."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to try to hit somebody/something",
            "sensetop": "swing at somebody/somethingswing something (at somebody/something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She swung at me with the iron bar.",
                    "contextForm": "swing at somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swung another punch in my direction.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something (at somebody/something)"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to succeed in getting or achieving something, sometimes in a slightly dishonest way",
            "sensetop": "swing somethingswing somebody something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We're trying to **swing it** so that we can travel on the same flight.",
                    "contextForm": "swing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Is there any chance of you swinging us a couple of tickets?",
                    "contextForm": "swing somebody something"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Success"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "to have a strong rhythm",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "if a party, etc. is swinging, there are a lot of people there having a good time",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "when somebody says there’s no room to swing a cat, they mean that a room is very small and that there is not enough space",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to affect the result of something in one way rather than another",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "In an interview, smart presentation can swing the balance in your favour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "New evidence swung the balance against the prosecution."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be bisexual (= sexually attracted to both men and women)",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to really try to achieve something great, even when it is not reasonable to expect to be so successful",
            "labels": "(North American English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "entrepreneurs who think big and swing for the fences"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Investors need to manage risk and not swing for the fences."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Success"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to start doing something quickly and with a lot of energy",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The ambulance crew swung into action to resuscitate the patient."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rescue operation swung into action immediately."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The emergency services swung into action as soon as the disaster was reported."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to pretend to be ill when in fact you are not, especially to avoid work",
            "labels": "(old-fashioned, British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I don't think there's anything wrong with her—she's just swinging the lead."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swing__gb_3.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɪŋz/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swings__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swʌŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swung__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈswɪŋɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swinging__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swing__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɪŋz/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swings__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swʌŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swung__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈswɪŋɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swing/swinging__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English swingan ‘to beat, whip’, also ‘rush’, geswing ‘a stroke with a weapon’, of Germanic origin; related to German schwingen ‘brandish’."
}