Swings

/swɪŋz/ noun, verb

Definition

To move back and forth suspended in the air; playground equipment that hangs and moves, or sudden changes in mood or opinion.

Etymology

From Old English 'swingan,' meaning 'to swing or beat.' Related to German 'schwingen.' The playground equipment meaning emerged in the 19th century.

Kelly Says

Swings are one of humanity's oldest inventions—people have been swinging suspended objects for thousands of years, but the word 'playground swing' only became common in the 1800s!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.