fling Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a usually brief attempt
    whirl; offer; crack; pass; go.
    • he took a crack at it
    • I gave it a whirl
  2. noun a brief indulgence of your impulses
    spree.
  3. noun the act of flinging
  4. verb throw with force or recklessness
    • fling the frisbee
  5. verb move in an abrupt or headlong manner
    • He flung himself onto the sofa
  6. verb indulge oneself
    splurge.
    • I splurged on a new TV
  7. verb throw or cast away
    dispose; cast aside; throw away; toss; cast away; chuck out; throw out; cast out; put away; discard; toss out; toss away.
    • Put away your worries

WordNet

Fling transitive verb
Etymology
OE. flingen, flengen, to rush, hurl; cf. Icel. flengia to whip, ride furiously, OSw. flenga to strike, Sw. flänga to romp, Dan. flenge to slash.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Flung ; present participle & verbal noun Flinging
Definitions
  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.
    'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings, Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings. Dryden.
    He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung. Dryden.
    I know thy generous temper well. Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire. Addison.
  2. To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.
    The sun begins to fling His flaring beams. Milton.
    Every beam new transient colors flings. Pope.
  3. To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.
    His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. Walpole.
Fling intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To throw; to wince; to flounce; as, the horse began to kick and fling.
  2. To cast in the teeth; to utter abusive language; to sneer; as, the scold began to flout and fling.
  3. To throw one's self in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste.
    And crop-full, out of doors he flings. Milton.
    I flung closer to his breast, As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath. Mrs. Browning.
Fling noun
Definitions
  1. A cast from the hand; a throw; also, a flounce; a kick; as, the fling of a horse.
  2. A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe; a sarcasm.
    I, who love to have a fling, Both at senate house and king. Swift.
  3. A kind of dance; as, the Highland fling.
  4. A trifing matter; an object of contempt. Obs.
    England were but a fling Save for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing. Old Proverb.

Webster 1913