Fling v.

Pa. t. and pa. pple. flung. Forms: Inf. 4–6 flyng(e, 5 flenge, 4– fling. Pa. t. 4–8 (9 dial.) flang, 4–7 flong, (4 flonc), 6 floong, 4– flung. Pa. pple. 6–7 flong, 7 flang, 7– flung. [app. closely related to ON. flengja, MSw. flängia, MDa. flænge to flog (mod.Icel. flengja, Sw. flänga, Da. flänge, also intr. to move impetuously). As the E. verb is recorded only as strong, it is difficult to regard it as adopted from the Scand. wk. vb.; it may represent a prehistoric ON. *flinga, of which flengja is a derivative.]

  I.  intr.

  1.  To move with haste or violence from or towards an object; to go or run violently or hastily; to dash, rush.

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 1165.

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 3916.

c. 1435.  Torrent of Portugal, 377.

1556.  J. Heywood, Spider & F., iv. 15.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 88. There staying his speach, he flang out of the dores.

1579–80.  North, Plutarch (1676), 541. Posts came flinging to him from the Realm of Pontus, and brought him good news.

1599.  E. Sandys, Europæ Speculum (1632), 218. The Protestants are eyther unnaturall and rebellious Children, who haue flung out of the Church, or the issue of such.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., XXII. 334.

1796.  Stedman, Surinam, I. i. 20. I disentangled myself from her embraces, angrily flung into the apartment allotted for my place of rest.

1830.  Galt, Lawrie T., VI. i. (1849), 253. He flung from me like a whirlwind, and uttering not a word, hastened home as quickly as his legs could carry him.

1855.  Motley, Dutch Rep., II. ii. (1866), 146. He [Granvelle] flung from the council-chamber.

1894.  Hall Caine, Manxman, I. i. 3. The old man lifted his clenched fist, but his son had flung out of the room.

  b.  with adverbs, as away, forth, off, out, etc.

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 1111.

1588.  Greene, Pandosto (1887), 25. With that he flung from his sonne in a rage, leauing him a sorowfull man, in that he had by deniall displeased his father.

1620.  Shelton, Quixote, I. III. iv. 142. Don Quixote made no account of their Stones, and did fling up and down among the Sheep.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 256. Do not offer to fling out from him, as in a fury or chafe; neither thinke thou to face out an evill action before him, for he hath power in his hand to revenge these insolencies at pleasure.

1712.  Arbuthnot, John Bull, I. ix. Signior flang away out of the house in great disorder, and swore there was foul play, for he was sure that his medicines were infallible.

1836.  W. Irving, Astoria, II. xvi. 148. He concluded by flinging off from the party, and keeping along the skirts of the mountains, leaving those, he said, to climb rocks, who were afraid to face Indians.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., viii. The Chancellor, who could not well ease himself by cursing and swearing at Ormond, flung away in a rage, and was followed by some of the minority.

  c.  Of a missile or weapon: To be sent or driven forcibly or swiftly.

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 2749.

1632.  Women’s Rights, 333. They [the keys] flang out at the Chamber window, and put out a womans eye.

1856.  Mrs. Browning, Aurora Leigh, IX. 934.

  † 2.  To make an onset or attack. Obs.

  a.  To fling together: to close in fight; to engage in hand-to-hand contest.

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 6084.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 674.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, IX. vi. 347. They auoyded their sadels & dressid their sheldes and drewe theire swerdes and flange to gyders as wood men.

  b.  To aim a stroke or blow (at); to hit out.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 583. So þikke he smot to Olyuer as he miȝte flynge.

c. 1400.  Rowland & O., 829.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 5252.

  3.  Of a horse or other animal: To kick and plunge violently, ‘to fly into violent and irregular motions’ (J.), to be unruly or restive. Also with about, out.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, VI. 143.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxii. 198. The horses whan they felt y^e sharpe arowes, they wolde in no wyse go forward, but drewe abacke, and flang and toke on so feersly, that many of them fell on their maisters, so that for preace they coude nat ryse agayne.

1579.  Gosson, The Schoole of Abuse (Arb.), 44. A Colt, giue him the bridle, he flinges aboute; raine him hard, and you may rule him.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., II. iv. 16.

1694.  R. L’Estrange, Fables, ccxxxvii. The same Humour of Kicking and Flinging at the Servant, took him again next Morning.

1814.  Scott, Ld. of Isles, V. xxxi.

1862.  in A. E. Lee, Hist. Columbus (1892), I. 742. A good-natured, hearty, familiar slap, at which the animal at first ‘flung out’ like a triphammer.

  b.  similarly of persons. Also, to fling out: to break out into angry invective or complaint.

1531.  Elyot, The Boke Named the Gouernour, I. ii. For lyke as the communes, if they fele some seueritie, doo humbly serue and obeye, so where they imbracing a lycence, refuse to be brydeled, do flyng and plunge: and if they ones throwe downe theyr gouernour, they order euery thyng without iustice, only with vengeance and crueltie, and with incomparable diffycultie, and vnneth by any wysedome, be pacified and brought again into order.

1575.  J. Still, Gamm. Gurton, IV. ii.

a. 1605.  Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, vii. 20. The mair thou flings, the faster is the net.

a. 1694.  Tillotson, Serm., 2 Pet. iii. 3. Wks. 1735, I. 29. Their consciences are galled by it, and this makes them winch and fling as if they had some mettle.

a. 1701.  Sedley, Poems, Wks. 1722, I. 19.

1886.  J. Payn, Luck of the Darrells, vii. I had rather she had flung out at me, as many a woman would do, than taken it as she did.

  4.  Sc. To caper, dance. (Cf. FLING sb. 4.)

1528.  Lyndesay, Dreme, Epist. 11.

a. 1572.  Knox, Hist. Ref., IV. (1644), 374. They would have wished their Sonnes and Daughters rather to have been brought up with Fidlers and Dancers, and to have been exercised in flinging upon a Floore, and in the rest that thereof followes, then to have been exercised in the company of the godly, and exercised in vertue, which in that Court was hated.

1790.  Burns, Tam o’ Shanter, 160.

  II.  trans.

  5.  To throw, cast, toss, hurl. Frequently with adverbs, as about, aside, away, by, out, up, etc.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 651.

c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 550.

1565.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., VIII. (1593), 195.

1577.  Stanyhurst, Desc. Irel., in Holinshed, Chron., VI. 43. His tenants mistruting no sluttish dealing, but construing all to be meant for the best, deliuered their euidences to their landlard, who did scantlie well persue them when he floong them all in the fire.

1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1290/1. The boy therevpon flang vp his garland.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. viii. 15.

a. 1608.  Sir F. Vere, Comm., 8. At last they flang away their arms, and scattered asunder, thrusting themselves into the thickets.

1647.  C. Harvey, School of Heart, xxxiv. 43.

c. 1665.  Mrs. Hutchinson, Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846), 243. They produced a tedious impertinent paper, in answer to the governor’s propositions, which, when the governor read over, he flung by, saying it was a ridiculous senseless piece of stuff.

1711.  Budgell, Spect., No. 77, 29 May, ¶ 9. He writes a Letter, and flings the Sand into the Ink-bottle.

1816.  Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 237. He was dressed in long robes of white and almost transparent muslin, one end of which was flung over his head, whereon he wore a turban considerably larger than the vulgar costume, with the end of the robe down below his shoulders and over his back.

1842.  Tennyson, Lady Clare, 40.

1887.  Bowen, Virg. Æneid, II. 146.

  b.  To throw with violence or hostile intent; to hurl as a missile. To fling down: to throw to the ground.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 645. Ledderis to the ground thai flang.

c. 1500.  Bk. Maid Emlyn, in Anc. Poet. Tracts (Percy Society), 15.

1558.  Phaer, Æneid, VI. R ij. Ioue almighty than, a firy dart on him down flang.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. i. 51.

1622.  Drayton, Poly-olb., xxii. (1748), 350.

1700.  S. L., trans. C. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 159. Having no VVeapon in my hand, I wrested the Cane out of his, and flung him upon his back.

1706.  E. Ward, Hud. Rediv., I. II. 11. Fling dirt enough, and some will stick.

1825.  J. Neal, Brother Jonathan, I. 263. He tore off his jacket, before any body could prevent him;—went up to Carter; and flung it in his face, without saying a word.

1879.  Froude, Cïsar, xvii. 280. Having thus pinned the Romans in, they slung red-hot balls and flung darts carrying lighted straw over the ramparts of the camp on the thatched roofs of the soldiers’ huts.

  fig.  1713.  Addison, Cato, I. i.

1781.  Cowper, Convers., 151.

1840.  Carlyle, Heroes, ii. (1858), 234. The meaning that is in him shapes itself into no form of composition, is stated in no sequence, method, or coherence;—they are not shaped at all, these thoughts of his; flung-out unshaped, as they struggle and tumble there, in their chaotic inarticulate state.

1883.  Manch. Exam., 29 Nov., 5/2. We are … not prepared to fling harsh words at any who do not at this moment agree with us.

  c.  absol. To throw or aim a missile at.

1635.  Quarles, Embl., I. vii. 5.

a. 1721.  Prior, Cloe Hunting, 20.

1726.  Shelvocke, Voy. round World (1757), 132. They say they are sure of any thing they fling at [with a lasso], at the distance of several fathoms.

  d.  said of the sea, waves, wind, etc.

1684.  T. Burnet, The Theory of the Earth, I. vi. 75. Suppose a mighty Rock or heap of Rocks to fall from that height, or a great Island, or a Continent; these would expel the waters out of their places, with such a force and violence, as to fling them among the highest Clouds.

1781.  Cowper, Expostulation, 273.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 146. This spring … is found to fling out about twenty-one tons of water in a minute.

1887.  Bowen, Virg. Ecl., VII. 42.

  e.  To throw (dice) from the box. Also absol.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 423. Whole Armies then as truly having their lives played, as ever any private Souldier had, when condemned to fling for his.

1697.  Dryden, Juvenal, vii.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 543, 22 Nov., ¶ 4. If one should always fling the same Number with ten thousand Dice, or see every Throw just five times less, or five times more in Number, than the Throw which immediately preceded it, who would not imagine there is some invisible Power which directs the Cast?

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., ii. I only wanted to fling a quatre, and yet I threw duce ace five times running.

  6.  refl. To throw oneself; = sense 1.

1700.  S. L., trans. C. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 321. We retired towards Sittawack, and passed by a steep Rock; whence it is reported, That the late King of Sittawack’s Wife and Daughter flung themselves down headlong, having received the News that he had lost the Battle against the King of Candi.

1812.  J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, II. 75.

1829.  Lytton, Devereux, I. iii. I flung myself into his arms and wept.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., ii. § 6. 87. A rebellion at Le Mans was subdued by the fierce energy with which William flung himself, at the news of it, into the first boat he found, and crossed the Channel in face of a storm.

  b.  fig. To fling oneself one’s energies, etc. into or upon: to enter upon vigorously, take up with impetuous energy, abandon oneself to. Also, To fling oneself upon (a person): to confide oneself unreservedly to.

1842.  Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, III. ix. 144. If they [Whigs] had flung themselves upon the people heartily and honestly, they might have set the Tories at defiance.

1865.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IX. XX. vii. 130. [Goltz] honestly flings himself upon his task, in a way pleasant to look at.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., ii. § 7. 100. He passed from the school of Merton to the University of Paris, and returned to fling himself into the life of the young nobles of the time.

1880.  McCarthy, Own Times, III. xxxv. 111. She had flung all her energies into the rebellion, regarding it clearly as a rebellion, and not as a mere mutiny.

  7.  To extend (one’s arms) with a sudden movement; transf. of a plant, etc. Also, to kick up (one’s heels), etc.

1657.  J. Smith, Myst. Rhet., 248. When in shew of disdainful contempt of a person or thing we fling up our nose.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., I. xii.

c. 1820.  Shelley, Question, i.

1884.  Tennyson, Becket, 23. The young filly winced and whinnied and flung up her heels.

  8.  To cast scornfully (one’s eyes, a glance) in a certain direction.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 209. How many fling their Eyes off a Book, having but spied the Name?

1821.  Clare, The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, I. 121. Song.

  9.  To emit, send forth, give out, diffuse (light, a sound, odour, etc.); to throw or cause to fall (light or shade) on or over an object. Also, to fling in (quot. 1704).

1632.  Milton, Penseroso, 131.

1704.  Addison, Italy (1705), 217. The Entry at both Ends [of a subterraneous passage] is higher than the middle Parts of it, and sinks by degrees, to fling in more Light upon the rest.

1712–4.  Pope, Rape Lock, II. 67.

1755.  Young, Centaur, V. Wks. 1757, IV. 231. This flings light on a part of Scripture, which has a cloud on it in some eyes; and with others quite ruins its credit: Work out your salvation with fear, and trembling.

c. 1800.  K. White, Poems, The Eve of Death (1837), 141.

1876.  Green, Stray Stud., 3. Harly a leaf astir in the huge beeches that fling their cool shade over the grass.

  10.  a. To put (any one) suddenly or violently into prison, confinement, or the like; ‘to force into another condition, properly into a worse’ (J.); also, † to fling to death (obs.)

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8843. Alphenor the fuerse flung he to dethe.

1591.  Spenser, Teares Muses, 543.

1601.  J. Weever, The Mirror of Martyrs, E vi.

1762.  H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1765), I. iii. 53. Mabuse, whose excesses some time after occasioned his being flung into prison at Middleburgh, where, however, he continued to work.

1776.  Trial of Nundocomar, 66/1. I was, after the battle, flung into confinement.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 98. Laud was flung into the Tower.

  b.  To bring up or dispatch (a body of troops) by a sudden or rapid movement; to cause (troops) to fall on (the enemy).

1707.  Freind, Peterborow’s Cond. Sp., 55. While Barcelona was encompass’d by Land and Sea (after the loss of Fort Monjuick) his Lordship found Methods to fling 500 Men into the Town, which was thought humanely impossible.

1893.  Sayce, Higher Criticism (1894), 426. Before either Babylonia in the east or Palestine in the west was ready, he [Sargon] had flung his army on the western conspirators.

  11.  † a. Of an animal: To cast or shed (its coat) (obs.). b. To throw away, cast aside (as useless or burdensome), rare.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Descr. Spring, Songes & Sonn. (1585), 2 b.

1847.  Tennyson, The Princess, II. 48.

  12.  To throw down, throw on the ground; spec. in wrestling. Of a horse: To throw (his rider) off his back.

1742.  H. Walpole, Lett. to H. Mann, 26 May. His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him: he is much bruised; but not at all dangerously.

1767.  Cowper, Let., 13 July. Poor Mr. Unwin, being flung from his horse, as he was going to his Church.

1783.  Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (Morell), IV. s.v. Aleii Campi, Where Bellerophon wandered when flung by Pegasus.

1825.  J. Neal, Brother Jonathan, I. 257. He knew very well, that, if he ‘flung’ Carter, he would have to fight him, afterwards;—a kind of sport, by the way, that a New-England farmer has no relish for.

1853.  Tennyson, Grandmother, iii.

  b.  fig. To give a fall to, cause to fall, overthrow. Also Sc., to jilt.

1790.  D. Morison, Poems, 152.

1808.  Jamieson, Fling, to baffle, to deceive.

1828.  Webster, Fling v. 6 To baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.

1889.  Tablet, 7 Dec., 897. An opportunity to fling the Ministry.

  13.  slang. To get the better of, cheat, swindle, ‘do’; to cheat out of (money, etc.).

1749.  R. Goadby, The Life and Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, 146. One of the Gentlemen proffered to lay a Wager he could not fling Dr. Glanfield.

1760.  C. Johnston, Chrysal (1767), IV. I. xii. 77. He finds after much deliberation that he cannot fling his worthy associate out of the whole spoil. Ibid. To try if there was any possibility for him to fling his own and the colonel’s common mistress, and get the whole fortune himself.

1806.  T. S. Surr, Winter in Lond. (ed. 3), II. 63. If I had not been monstrous industrious, and monstrous lucky into the bargain, we should have been flung.

1830.  Lytton, P. Clifford, xxxi. Bob, turning round to the gaoler, cries, ‘Flung the governor out of a guinea, by G—d!’

  14.  Used in many phrases and idiomatic expressions merely as a variant (more emphatic or expressive of greater violence) of throw or cast (see esp. CAST v. XIII); such are to fling aside, to disregard, reject; to fling away, to discard, dismiss; to throw away, squander, ruin; to fling down, to throw on the ground, overthrow, demolish; to fling off, to abandon, disown; to baffle in the chase, throw off the scent; to fling up, to throw up (an earthwork); to give up, relinquish, abandon; also (dial.) to ‘rake up’ and utter as a reproach. To fling (anything) in one’s teeth: see CAST v. 65. To fling open, to open suddenly or violently (also, to fling wide); similarly, to fling to, to shut suddenly or forcibly.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. i. 115.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., vi. § 4. 298. It was this resolve of Colet to fling aside the traditional dogmas of his day and to discover a rational and practical religion in the Gospels themselves, which gave its peculiar stamp to the theology of the Renascence.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 441. Cromwel, I charge thee, fling away Ambition.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 4. Of the western provinces which obeyed the Cæsars she was the last that was conquered, and the first that was flung away.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. Don’t fling yourself away, my girl, but be persuaded into being respectable and happy.

1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, xxii. 371. No man in the country more desires to be rich than I; so don’t fancy I am flinging away a fortune out of generosity.

1587.  Mirr. Mag., Sir W. Burdet, lxiii.

1695.  Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, II. (1723), 124. These are so far from raising Mountains, that they overturn and fling down, some of those which were before standing.

1619.  Fletcher & Massinger, False One, IV. ii.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 170, 14 Sept., ¶ 12. These Men therefore bear hard upon the suspected Party, pursue her close through all her Turnings and Windings, and are too weil acquainted with the Chace, to be flung off by any false Steps or Doubles.

1848.  Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxv. He refuses any communication with me; he has flung us off; and leaves us to poverty.

1649.  Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, iv. 88. A man having approved of Gods wayes, and entred into covenant with him, after this to goe from his word, and fling up his bargaine, and start aside like a deceitfull bow: of all other dispositions of the Soule this is one of the worst.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 94–5. Should there be any occasion of flinging up new works about the lines of communication, the company of Cordwayners that were so many hundreds, would appeare a Maniple, a handfull, and make but a poor shew in comparison of Practitioners of Physick, if they were injoyned to dig Trenches.

1661.  Pepys, Diary, 15 Sept. If she will not be ruled, I shall fling up my executorship.

1743.  Fielding, Wedding-day, II. vi. If you stay one moment longer, I’ll fling up the affair.

1884.  Punch, LXXXVII. 29 Nov., 263/2. I’ve had enough of this game, and will fling up politics.

1858.  Lytton, What Will He Do with It? II. xii. I felt there was manhood in you when you wrote to fling my churlish favours in my teeth.

1892.  G. Moore, in Speaker, 29 Oct., 528/2. The elderly maxim about brevity being the soul of wit may be flung in my teeth.

1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 449.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 110, 6 July, ¶ 5. The Knight seeing his Habitation reduced to so small a Compass, and himself in a Manner shut out of his own House, upo the Death of his Mother ordered all the Apartments to be flung open, and exorcised by his Chaplain, who lay in every Room one after another, and by that Means dissipated the Fears which had so long reigned in the Family.

1847.  Tennyson, The Princess, VI. 314.

1862.  Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., I. xxi. 272. Mrs. Carter sent the wet mop flying after Miss Betsy, and the young lady, dexterously evading it, flung-to the door and departed.

1885.  Mabel Collins, The Prettiest Woman in Warsaw, xii. When the dawn broke he flung open his window and leaned out into the fresh air.

  b.  similarly with adj. as compl. rare.

1865.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IX. XXI. ii. 268. In France there are a great many hands flung idle in the present downbreak of finance there.

  III.  15. Comb. (the verb-stem used attrib.), as fling-brand (attrib.), that kindles strife or makes mischief; fling-dust, -stink, a contemptuous name for a harlot.

1616.  T. Adams, Sacrif. Thank., 23. It would a little Coole the preternaturall heate of the fling-brand fraternitie, as one wittily calleth them.

1621.  Fletcher, Wild Goose Chase, IV. i.

1679.  T. Ticklefoot, Trial Wakeman, 7. That he was not President of the Benedictines, his Lordship affirmed from the Testimony of three Flingstinks.