swatting

English

Etymology

swat +‎ -ing

Pronunciation

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Verb

swatting

1. present participle of swat

Noun

swatting (plural swattings)

1. A motion or gesture that swats; a swat.
   • 1973, Oliver Sacks, Awakenings

     This […] evoked a new disorder — a tendency to sudden, tic-like jabbings and swattings in the air, as if she were fending off flies or mosquitoes.

2. (slang) The action of making an illegitimate call to the police so as to have a SWAT team dispatched to a location.