fling
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fling¹
- /ˈflɪŋ/
Rhymes with -ɪŋ
Where it comes from
From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).
noun flings
- An act of throwing, often violently.
- An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance. the fling of a horse
- An act or period of unrestrained indulgence, enthusiasm, or both. When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure.
-
A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.
a summer fling
Similar: affairette, dalliance, hookup, liaison
- An attempt, a try. give it a fling
- A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt. I, who love to have a fling, / Both at senate house and king.
- A lively Scottish country dance. the Highland fling
- A party, especially a dance party. a spring fling
- A trifling matter; an object of contempt. ante 1800, old proverb England were but a fling / Save for the crooked stick and the grey goose wing.
fling²
- /ˈflɪŋ/
Rhymes with -ɪŋ
Where it comes from
From Middle English flyngen, from Old Norse flengja (“to whip”), from Proto-Germanic *flangijaną (“to beat, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k- (“to beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k-, *pleh₂g- (“to beat”). Cognate with Icelandic flengja (“to spank”), Norwegian flengja (“to rip, tear, or fling open”).
verb flings · flinging · flung · flang
-
To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
'Tis Fate that casts the Dice, and as she flings,
Of Kings makes Pedants, and of Pedants Kings.
Similar: chuck, pitch, bung, cast, chunk, cook, dash, dump, feck, fling, jerk, heave
- To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash. And crop-full, out of doors he flings.
- To throw; to wince; to flounce. The horse flung most potently, making his heels fly aloft in the air.
- To utter abusive language; to sneer. The scold began to flout and fling.
Fling³
proper noun Flings
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: toss, whirl, crack, throw out, toss out, throw away, discard, chuck out, cast aside, cast away, pass, dispose, cast out, put away, splurge, bout
Translations
Every language
noun act of throwing
| Français | jet, lancé |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Schleudern, Wurf, Werfen, Hinschleudern, Hinwerfen, Herumwerfen |
| Română | arunca |
noun act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
| Deutsch | ruckartige Bewegung, Schwung, Schwingen, Schütteln, Schlagen, Reissen |
|---|
noun act of unrestrained indulgence
| Deutsch | Spaß, wilde Zeit, ausgelassene Zeit, Sause, Gaudi |
|---|
noun short sexual relationship
| Español | aventura, lío, rollo, devaneo, escarceo amoroso, amorío |
|---|---|
| Português | caso, ficada |
| Français | aventure, passade, liaison, amourette |
| Deutsch | kurze Affäre, Seitensprung, Liebelei, Liebschaft, Krösken, Techtelmechtel |
| Italiano | avventura |
| Română | aventură |
| Русский | любо́вное увлече́ние ljubóvnoje uvlečénije, интри́жка intrížka |
| العربية | عَلَاقَة سَرِيعَة ʕalāqa sarīʕa |
| עברית | סטוץ stutz |
verb to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
| Español | tirarse, lanzarse, echarse, arrojarse |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | sich werfen, sich hinwerfen, sich hinschleudern, sich in etwas stürzen, sich hinunterwerfen, sich hinunterstürzen |
| Русский | бро́ситься brósitʹsja, броса́ться brosátʹsja, ки́нуться kínutʹsja, кида́ться kidátʹsja |
verb to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
| Español | aventar, lanzar |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 投げる nageru |
| 中文 | 拋 /抛 pāo, 投 tóu, 鑄 /铸 zhù, 扔 rēng |
| Português | arremessar, lançar |
| Français | jeter, balancer |
| Deutsch | schleudern, schmeißen |
| Italiano | slanciare, scagliare |
| Română | arunca |
| Русский | броса́ть brosátʹ, бро́сить brósitʹ, кида́ть kidátʹ, ки́нуть kínutʹ, мета́ть metátʹ, метну́ть metnútʹ |
| العربية | صَبَّ ṣabba, رَمَّى rammā, اِنْدَفَعَ indafaʕa |
Talk about this word "fling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fling. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. fling. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fling "fling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fling.Cite this
@misc{fling_2026,
title = {fling},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fling},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
