from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fling \Fling\ (fl[i^]ng), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flung}
(fl[u^]ng); p. pr. & vb. n. {Flinging}.] [OE. flingen,
flengen, to rush, hurl; cf. Icel. flengia to whip, ride
furiously, OSw. flenga to strike, Sw. fl[aum]nga to romp,
Dan. flenge to slash.]
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.
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'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings,
Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings.
--Dryden.
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He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung. --Dryden.
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I know thy generous temper well.
Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it,
It straight takes fire. --Addison.
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2. To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.
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The sun begins to fling
His flaring beams. --Milton.
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Every beam new transient colors flings. --Pope.
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3. To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate;
hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in
litigation.
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His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him.
--Walpole.
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{To fling about}, to throw on all sides; to scatter.
{To fling away}, to reject; to discard.
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Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition.
--Shak.
{To fling down}.
(a) To throw to the ground; esp., to throw in defiance, as
formerly knights cast a glove into the arena as a
challenge.
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This question so flung down before the guests, .
. .
Was handed over by consent of all
To me who had not spoken. --Tennyson.
(b) To overturn; to demolish; to ruin.
{To fling in}, to throw in; not to charge in an account; as,
in settling accounts, one party flings in a small sum, or
a few days' work.
{To fling off}, to baffle in the chase; to defeat of prey;
also, to get rid of. --Addison.
{To fling open}, to throw open; to open suddenly or with
violence; as, to fling open a door.
{To fling out}, to utter; to speak in an abrupt or harsh
manner; as, to fling out hard words against another.
{To fling up}, to relinquish; to abandon; as, to fling up a
design.
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