swinging

American  

[swing-ing] / ˈswɪŋ ɪŋ /

adjective

superlative

swingingest

1. characterized by or capable of swinging, being swung, or causing to swing.

2. intended for swinging upon, by, from, or in.

   the swinging devices in a playground.

3. Slang. excellent; first-rate.

4. Slang. lively, active, and modern; hip.

5. Slang.

   1. free and uninhibited sexually.

      a swinging bachelor.

   2. exchanging spouses for sex.

      swinging married couples.

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noun

1. the activity or act of a person who swings.

2. Slang.

   1. the act or practice of being free and uninhibited sexually.

   2. the exchanging of spouses for sex.

swinging British  

/ ˈswɪŋɪŋ /

adjective

1. moving rhythmically to and fro

2. slang modern and lively

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noun

1. slang the practice of swapping sexual partners in a group, esp habitually

Other Word Forms

• swingingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of swinging

First recorded in 1550–60; swing ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

John: “We’ve had the swinging sixties, and I was wondering, Mrs. Lennon, how you saw your place in the seventies?”

From Salon

He could win a match swinging an umbrella.

From Los Angeles Times

Armstrong’s deliciously swinging cover version became a hit single, one of a handful of small-group jazz recordings ever to do so, and he would perform it the world over until he died in 1971.

From The Wall Street Journal

These ranged from the familiar swinging motion of a pendulum to the nonlinear behavior of electrical circuits, as well as models used in climate science and neural circuits.

From Science Daily

Joshua stalked him, swinging heavy lefts and rights that cut only air, with each miss drawing gasps from the crowd.

From BBC

Related Words

• fluctuating