sway
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Earlier swey (“to fall, swoon”), from Middle English sweyen, from Old Norse sveigja (“to bend, bow”), from Proto-Germanic *swaigijaną (compare Saterland Frisian swooie (“to swing, wave, wobble”), Dutch zwaaien, Dutch Low Saxon sweuen (“to sway in the wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *swaig- (compare Lithuanian svaĩgti (“to become giddy or dizzy”), the second element of Avestan [script needed] (pairi-šxuaxta, “to surround”), Sanskrit स्वजते (svájate, “he embraces, enfolds”)). Cognate to Proto-Slavic *čьvati (“swell, become bigger”), Old Greek κυέω (kyéo, “become pregnant”).
Noun[edit]
sway (plural sways)
- The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
- A rocking or swinging motion.
- The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
- Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
- I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
- Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
- Rule; dominion; control.
- A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
- The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion
Translations[edit]
The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon
A rocking or swinging motion
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Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
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Preponderance; turn or cast of balance
Rule; dominion; control
A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work
Verb[edit]
sway (third-person singular simple present sways, present participle swaying, simple past and past participle swayed)
- To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
- sway to the music; The trees swayed in the breeze.
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1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter V”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
- Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
- To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
- to sway the sceptre
- Edmund Spenser (c.1552–1599)
- As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed.
- To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade.
- Do you think you can sway their decision?
- John Dryden (1631-1700)
- This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
- To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
- reeds swayed by the wind; judgment swayed by passion
- John Tillotson (1630-1694)
- Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
- (nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
- to sway up the yards
- To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
- Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
- The balance sways on our part.
- Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
- To have weight or influence.
- Richard Hooker (1554-1600)
- The example of sundry churches […] doth sway much.
- Richard Hooker (1554-1600)
- To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
- William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
- Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.
- William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
Translations[edit]
to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock
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to move or wield with the hand
to influence or direct by power and authority
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to cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward
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to be drawn to one side by weight or influence
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