fling--prophetes.ai

▪ I. fling, n.
    (flɪŋ)
    [f. next vb.]
    1. An act of flinging or throwing; a cast, throw.

1589 R. Harvey Pl. Perc. 10 Why may not we haue one cast in his Orchard, and a fling at his Medlar tree? 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xxix. 391 In spite of the powerful flings which they were subjected to in the fight, not a dog suffers seriously.

2. fig. (Chiefly in phrase to have a fling at.) a. A passing attempt at or attack upon something. b. A sarcastic remark thrown out in passing; a gibe, scoff.

1550 Bale Apol. 142/1 Not one kynge hath bene in Englande..but they [monks] haue..had theyr false flynges at him. a 1592 Greene Selimus Wks. 1881–3 XIV. 290 Wee'll have a fling at the ægyptian crowne. 1601 Holland Pliny II. xxxvii. iii. 609, I meane..to haue a fling at Magicians for their abhominable lies. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 174 Will you not have one fling at Spain..before you dye? 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. xiii. 148 He left his Estate to two Grandsons..But the Court had a Fling at them, and got above a Million Sterl. of their Estate. 1741 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. 117 He has had a taste of your satirical flings. 1760 C. Johnston Chrysal (1822) II. 10 A fling at the clergy never fails to raise a laugh. 1878 Spurgeon Serm. XXIV. 356 These also have their fling against the Gospel.

3. A hasty, reckless, or wanton movement, a rush. lit. and fig. at one fling: at one movement or impulse. full fling: with haste or force, impetuously, violently. Now rare.

1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. i. 33 In at a lattes hole..Euen at a fling, fast flew there in a flie. 1575 Gascoigne Pr. Pleas. Kenilw. ii. v, My willing feete, which fet these hastie frisking flings. c 1590 Secr. Mem. Earl Leicester (1706) 114 With many other Fetches Flings and Friskes besides. 1614 T. Adams Diuells Banket iv. 183 A man that hath taken his careere, and runnes full fling to a place, cannot recoile himselfe. 1621 Fletcher Wild Goose Chase iv. i, Now ye see what your flings are, and your fancies. 1641 Brome Jovial Crew ii. i, Shall we make a fling to London? 1650 B. Discolliminium 35 She would start from Newcastle to Michaels mount at one fling.

4. A flinging about of the body or limbs. a. A dance in which the arms and legs are moved with great vigour, esp. in the Highland fling (also fig.)

1806 P. Neill Tour i, We saw the Highlanders..dancing the fling to the music of the bagpipe. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's vi, Dancing the highest Highland fling. 1845 Hood Last Man xxiii, He..danced me a saucy fling. 1866 ‘Mark Twain’ Lett. fr. Hawaii (1967) 32 Mrs. Jones..felt something grab her cheek; she dropped the sponge and out popped a scorpion... Well, she just got up and danced the Highland Fling for two hours and a half.

b. A violent movement, a plunge; of a horse: A kicking or throwing out the hind legs. Also Sc. fig. of persons: to take the fling(s: ‘to become unmanageable’ (Jam.), to become fitful or ill-humoured.

a 1568 Fleming Ball. evill Wyffis viii. in Bannatyne Poems (1770) 227 Quhen his wyfe taks the fling. 1719 Hamilton Ep. to Ramsay 24 Aug. vii., Gin we ettle anes to taunt her, And dinna cawmly thole her banter, She'll tak the flings. 1826 H. N. Coleridge West Indies 126 The furious jerks and flings which he [the shark] made. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. vi, ‘If dat ar gen'lman's crittur [a horse] should gib a fling.’

c. fig. Freedom from constraint in one's bearing; ‘dash’.

1871 Geo. Eliot Middlem. I. ii. xiii. 218 About his ordinary bearing there was a certain fling, a fearless expectation of success, a confidence in his own powers.

5. A fit or spell of unrestrained indulgence of one's impulses. to have one's fling: usually, to abandon oneself to pleasure until the impulse is satisfied.

1827 Barrington Pers. Sk. II. 435 They took care previously to have their fling. 1840 E. Howard Jack Ashore III. iii, From this morning may Jack's fling of extravagance be dated. 1849 Thackeray Pendennis xxxix, I should like to have my fling out before I marry. 1857 Hughes Tom Brown ii. ii. (1871) 230 During this hour or hour-and-a-half he used to take his fling. 1864 Tennyson Aylmer's F. 399 Give me my fling, and let me say my say.

6. In various uses. a. The length of netting which may be made on the mesh-pin at a time.

1780 A. Young Tour Irel. i. 153 Weaving the nets 1d. a yard for one fling, or 63 meshes deep.

b. A number (of oxbirds) flying in company.

1859 H. C. Folkard Wild-fowling lx. 316 The whole fling [of ox⁓birds] every now and then presents the identical appearance of a beautiful silver cloud. 1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Sports i. i. §1 A ‘fling’ of oxbirds.

† c. used to express: A thing of no importance.

a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Barke-Shire (1662) 84 England were but a fling, Save for the crooked stick and the gray⁓goose-wing.

7. attrib. and Comb., as fling period (sense 5); † fling-brain, a person of flighty and hasty character; so † fling-brained a.

1554 in Foxe A. & M. (1583) II. 1459/1 A sort of flyng⁓braines and light heads, which were neuer constant in any one thyng. 1576 Newton Lemnie's Complex. (1633) 159 Their fickle heads, and flingbrained wits be easily allured and drawne into folly. 1885 Athenæum 24 Jan. 117/1 Chopin..came when the fling period was drawing to an end.

▪ II. fling, v.
    (flɪŋ)
    Pa. tense and pa. pple. flung (flʌŋ). Forms: inf. 4–6 flyng(e, 5 flenge, 4– fling. pa. tense 4–8 (9 dial.) flang, 4–7 flong, (4 flonc), 6 floong, 4– flung. pa. pple. 6–7 flong, 7 flang, 7– flung.
    [app. closely related to ON. flengja, MSw. flängia, MDa. flænge to flog (mod.Icel. flengja, Sw. flänga, Da. flänge, also intr. to move impetuously). As the E. verb is recorded only as strong, it is difficult to regard it as adopted from the Scand. wk. vb.; it may represent a prehistoric ON. *flinga, of which flengja is a derivative.]
    I. intr.
    1. To move with haste or violence from or towards an object; to go or run violently or hastily; to dash, rush.

1300 K. Alis. 1165 Messangeris conne flyng, Into the halle byfore the kyng. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 3916 Þe hors of baundoun lete þai frem & come flingand wiþ al her men. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 378 He fled a wey, ase he were wod, Flyngyng ase a fynd. 1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. iv. 15 Full furiouslie he flang Towarde the flie. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 88 There staying his words, he flang out of the dores. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 541 Posts came flinging to him from the Realm of Pontus. 1599 Sandys Europæ Spec. (1637) 218 Unnaturall and rebellious Children, who have flung out of the Church. 1725 Pope Odyss. xxii. 334 Confus'd, distracted, thro' the rooms they fling. 1796 Stedman Surinam I. i. 20, I..angrily flung into the apartment. 1830 Galt Laurie T. vi. i. (1849) 253 He flung from me like a whirlwind. 1855 Motley Dutch Rep. ii. ii. (1866) 146 Granville..flung from the council-chamber. 1894 Hall Caine Manxman I. i. 3 His son had flung out of the room.

b. with adverbs, as away, forth, off, out, etc.

c 1300 K. Alis. 1111 Alisaundres folk forth gon flyng, Fyve hundred in a rynge. Ibid. 5892 [They] Breken there the wal adoun; And in flunge in litel stounde. 1588 Greene Pandosto (1887) 25 With that he flung away from his sonne in a rage. 1620 Shelton Quixote I. iii. iv. 142 Don Quixote..did fling up and down among the sheep. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 256 Do not venture to fling out from him as in a fury. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull i. ix, Signior flang away out of the house in great disorder. 1836 Irving Astoria 66 He concluded by flinging off from the party. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. viii, The Chancellor..flung away in a rage.

c. Of a missile or weapon: To be sent or driven forcibly or swiftly.

c 1300 K. Alis. 2749 Thorugh the heorte the launce flang. 1632 Women's Rights 333 They [the keys] flang out at the chamber window. 1856 Mrs. Browning Aurora Leigh ix. 934, I flung closer to his breast, As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath.

† 2. To make an onset or attack. Obs. a. to fling together: to close in fight; to engage in hand-to-hand contest.

c 1300 K. Alis. 6084 Bothe perty flang togedre. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 674 Wiþ þe strokes þat þis frekes slente flyngande to-gader in fiȝte, Hur helmes & haberions þay to-rente. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. vi. 347 They..drewe theire swerdes and flange to gyders as wood men.

b. To aim a stroke or blow (at); to hit out.

c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 583 So þikke he smot to Olyuer as he miȝte flynge. c 1400 Rowland & O. 830 Kyng Clariell..flynges owte full fersely. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5253 He..flang at hym fuersly with a fyne swerde.

3. Of a horse or other animal: To kick and plunge violently, ‘to fly into violent and irregular motions’ (J.), to be unruly or restive. Also with about, out.

1375 Barbour Bruce vi. 143 He stekit the hors, and he can flyng. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clxii. 198 The horses whan they felt y⊇ sharpe arowes..flang and toke on so feersly, that many of them fell on their maisters. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 44 A Colt, giue him the bridle, he flinges about; raine him hard, and you may rule him. 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iv. 16 Duncans Horses..Turn'd wilde in nature, broke their stalls, flong out, Contending 'gainst Obedience. 1694 R. L'Estrange Fables ccxxxvii, The same Humour of Kicking and Flinging at the Servant, took him again next Morning. 1815 Scott Ld. of Isles v. xxxi, The startling horses plunged and flung. 1862 in A. E. Lee Hist. Columbus I. 742 A good-natured..slap, at which the animal ‘flung out’ like a trip-hammer.

b. similarly of persons. Also, to fling out: to break out into angry invective or complaint.

1531 Elyot Gov. i. ii, Where they [the communes]..refuse to be brydled, they flynge and plunge: and if they ones throwe downe theyr gouernour [etc.]. 1575 J. Still Gamm. Gurton iv. ii, There is the thing, That Hodge is so offended, that makes him starte and flyng. a 1605 Montgomerie Misc. Poems vii. 20 The mair thou flings, the faster is the net. a 1694 Tillotson Serm. 2 Pet. iii. 3 Wks. 1735 I. 29 Their consciences are galled..this makes them winch and fling as if they had some mettle. a 1701 Sedley Poems Wks. 1722 I. 19 She like a wounded Otter flings and Rails. 1886 Payn Luck of Darrells vii, I had rather she had flung out at me, as many a woman would do, than taken it as she did.

4. Sc. To caper, dance. (Cf. fling n. 4.)

1528 Lyndesay Dreme Epist. 12 Sumtyme, in dansing, feiralie I flang. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. iv. (1644) 374 They would have wished their Sonnes and Daughters rather..to have been exercised in flinging upon a Floore..then [etc.]. 1790 Burns Tam o' Shanter 161 Rigwoodie hags wad spean a foal, Louping an' flinging on a crummock.

II. trans.
5. To throw, cast, toss, hurl. Frequently with adverbs, as about, aside, away, by, out, up, etc.

1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 651 He evin apon his bak hym flang And with hym till the bat can gang. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 550 Fitches flynge Afore hem ofte. 1565 Golding Ovid's Met. viii. (1593) 195 The bore..grunting flang his fome about. 1577 Stanyhurst Desc. Irel. in Holinshed Chron. VI. 43 He floong them all in the fire. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1290/1 The boy there vpon flang vp his garland. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. viii. 15 Who loues the King..Fling vp his cap. 1607 ― Cor. ii. i. 279 Matrons flong Gloues..Vpon him. a 1608 Sir F. Vere Comm. 8 They flang away their arms. 1647 C. Harvey School of Heart xxxiv. 44 The door's flung off the hooks, the floor's unlay'd. c 1665 Mrs. Hutchinson Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846) 243 Which, when the governor read over, he flung by. 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 77 ¶9 He writes a Letter, and flings the Sand into the Ink-bottle. 1816 Keatinge Trav. (1817) I. 237 He was dressed in long robes of white..muslin, one end of which was flung over his head. 1842 Tennyson Lady Clare 40 Pull off, pull off, the brooch of gold, And fling the diamond necklace by. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid ii. 147 The King Bids them..aside his manacles fling.

b. To throw with violence or hostile intent; to hurl as a missile. to fling down: to throw to the ground.

1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 645 Ledderis to the ground thai flang. c 1500 Maid Emlyn in Anc. Poet. Tracts (Percy Soc.) 15 And if her husbande said ought, Loke what she sonest cought, At his heed she wolde it flynge. 1558 T. Phaer æneid vi. R ij, Ioue almighty than, a firy dart on him down flang. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, v. i. 51, I had rather chop this Hand off at a blow, And with the other, fling it at thy face. 1622 Drayton Poly-olb. xxii. (1748) 350 His approved men..flang out such a flight Of shafts. 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 159, I..flung him upon his back. 1706 E. Ward Hud. Rediv. I. ii. 11 Fling dirt enough, and some will stick. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 263 He tore off his jacket..went up to Carter, and flung it in his face. 1879 Froude Cæsar xvii. 280 They..flung darts carrying lighted straw over the ramparts.

fig. 1713 Addison Cato i. i, I know thy generous Temper well; Fling but th' Appearance of Dishonour on it, It strait takes Fire. 1781 Cowper Convers. 153 Their nimble nonsense..Flings at your head conviction in a lump. 1840 Carlyle Heroes ii. (1858) 234 These thoughts of his, flung-out unshaped. 1883 Manch. Exam. 29 Nov. 5/2 We are..not prepared to fling harsh words at any who do not at this moment agree with us.

c. absol. To throw or aim a missile at.

1635 Quarles Embl. i. vii. 5 While death, that flings at all, Stands arm'd to strike thee down. a 1721 Prior Cloe Hunting 20, I and my Cloe take a nobler Aim: At human Hearts we fling, nor ever miss the Game. 1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World (1757) 132 They say they are sure of anything they fling at [with a lasso].

d. said of the sea, waves, wind, etc.

1684 Burnet Th. Earth i. vi. 75 Suppose a..heap of Rocks to fall..these would expel the waters out of their places with such a..violence as to fling them among the highest Clouds. 1781 Cowper Expostulation 273 The waves that..fling their foam against thy chalky shore. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. II. 146 This spring..is found to fling out about twenty-one tons of water in a minute. 1887 Bowen Virg. Ecl. vii. 42 More cheap than the seaweed flung on the shore.

e. To throw (dice) from the box. Also absol.

1654 Whitlock Zootomia 423 Whole Armies then as truly having their lives played, as ever any private Souldier had, when condemned to fling for his. a 1700 Dryden (J.) 'Tis fate that flings the dice. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 543 ¶4 If one should always fling the same number with ten thousand dice. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. ii, I only wanted to fling a quatre and yet I threw deuce-ace five times.

6. refl. To throw oneself; = sense 1.

1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 321 A steep Rock; whence..the late King of Sittawack's Wife and Daughter flung themselves down headlong. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms ii. 75 He flings himself down on his rocky tomb. 1829 Lytton Devereux i. iii, I flung myself into his arms and wept. 1874 Green Short Hist. ii. §6. 87 William flung himself..into the first boat he found.

b. fig. to fling oneself, one's energies, etc. into or upon: to enter upon vigorously, take up with impetuous energy, abandon oneself to. Also, to fling oneself upon (a person): to confide oneself unreservedly to.

1842 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life III. ix. 144 If they [Whigs] had flung themselves upon the people heartily and honestly, they might have set the Tories at defiance. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. IX. xx. vii. 130 Goltz..honestly flings himself upon his task. 1874 Green Short Hist. ii. §7. 100 [He] returned to fling himself into the life of the young nobles of the time. 1880 M{supc}Carthy Own Times III. xxxv. 111 She had flung all her energies into the rebellion.

7. To extend (one's arms) with a sudden movement; transf. of a plant, etc. Also, to kick up (one's heels), etc.

1657 J. Smith Myst. Rhet. 248 When in shew of disdainful contempt of a person or thing we fling up our nose. 1810 Scott Lady of L. i. xii, The pine-tree hung His shattered trunk, and..flung His boughs athwart the narrowed sky. c 1820 Shelley Question i, A shelving bank of turf, which..hardly dared to fling Its green arms round the bosom of the stream. 1822 ― Triumph of Life 149 Maidens and youths fling their wild arms in air. 1884 Tennyson Becket 23 The young colt..flung up her heels.

8. To cast scornfully (one's eyes, a glance) in a certain direction.

1654 Whitlock Zootomia 209 How many fling their Eyes off a Book, having but spied the name? 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 121 One careless look on me she flung.

9. To emit, send forth, give out, diffuse (light, a sound, odour, etc.); to throw or cause to fall (light or shade) on or over an object. Also, to fling in (quot. 1704).

1632 Milton Penseroso 131 When the sun begins to fling His flaring beams. 1634 ― Comus 989 West winds, with musky wing, About the cedarn allies fling Nard and casia's balmy smells. 1704 Addison Italy (1705) 217 The Entry at both Ends [of a subterraneous passage] is higher than the middle Parts of it, and sinks by degrees, to fling in more Light upon the rest. 1712–4 Pope Rape Lock ii. 67 Ev'ry beam new transient colours flings. 1755 Young Centaur v. Wks. 1757 IV. 231 This flings light on a part of Scripture, which has a cloud on it in some eyes. c 1800 K. White Poems (1837) 141 No gale around its coolness flings. 1876 Green Stray Stud. 3 The huge beeches that fling their cool shade over the grass.

10. a. To put (any one) suddenly or violently into prison, confinement, or the like; ‘to force into another condition, properly into a worse’ (J.); also, † to fling to death (obs.).

c 1400 Destr. Troy 8843 Alphenor the fuerse flung he to dethe. 1591 Spenser Teares Muses 543 Squallid Fortune, into basenes flong, Doth scorne the pride of wonted ornaments. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. E vi, They were attacht, and into prison flong. 1762 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1765) I. iii. 53 Mabuse; whose excesses..occasioned his being flung into prison. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 66/1, I was, after the battle, flung into confinement. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 98 Laud was flung into the Tower.

b. To bring up or dispatch (a body of troops) by a sudden or rapid movement; to cause (troops) to fall on (the enemy).

1707 Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 55 His Lordship found Methods to fling 500 Men into the Town. 1893 Sayce Higher Criticism (1894) 426 He had flung his army on the western conspirators.

11. † a. Of an animal: To cast or shed (its coat) (obs.). b. To throw away, cast aside (as useless or burdensome). rare.

a 1547 Surrey Descr. Spring, Songes & Sonn. (1585) 2 b, The Bucke in brake his winter coate he flinges. 1847 Tennyson Princess ii. 48 You likewise will do well, Ladies, in entering here, to cast and fling The tricks, which make us toys of men.

12. To throw down, throw on the ground; spec. in wrestling. Of a horse: To throw (his rider) off his back.

1767 Cowper Let. 13 July, Poor Mr. Unwin, being flung from his horse as he was going to his Church. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) iv. s.v. Aleii Campi, Where Bellerophon wandered when flung by Pegasus. a 1797 H. Walpole (Webster) His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 257 If he ‘flung’ Carter, he would have to fight him afterwards. 1863 Tennyson Grandmother iii, Never a man could fling him; for Willy stood like a rock.

b. fig. To give a fall to, cause to fall, overthrow. Also Sc., to jilt.

1790 Morison Poems 152 (Girl speaks) Had I that maxim kept I'd ne'er been flung. 1808 Jamieson Fling, to baffle, to deceive. 1828 Webster Fling v. 6 To baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation. 1889 Tablet 7 Dec. 897 An opportunity to fling the Ministry.

13. slang. To get the better of, cheat, swindle, ‘do’; to cheat out of (money, etc.).

1749 Goadby Carew 146 One of the Gentlemen proffered to lay a Wager he could not fling Dr. Glanfield. 1760 C. Johnston Chrysal (1767) IV. i. xii. 77 He finds..that he cannot fling his worthy associate out of the whole spoil. Ibid., To try if there was any possibility for him to fling his..mistress, and get the whole fortune himself. 1806 T. S. Surr Winter in Lond. (ed. 3) II. 63 If I had not been..monstrous lucky..we should have been flung. 1830 Lytton P. Clifford xxxi, Bob..cries, ‘Flung the governor out of a guinea!’

14. Used in many phrases and idiomatic expressions merely as a variant (more emphatic or expressive of greater violence) of throw or cast (see esp. cast v. XIII); such are to fling aside, to disregard, reject; to fling away, to discard, dismiss; to throw away, squander, ruin; to fling down, to throw on the ground, overthrow, demolish; to fling off, to abandon, disown; to baffle in the chase, throw off the scent; to fling up, to throw up (an earthwork); to give up, relinquish, abandon; also (dial.) to ‘rake up’ and utter as a reproach. to fling (anything) in one's teeth: see cast v. 65. to fling open, to open suddenly or violently (also, to fling wide); similarly, to fling to, to shut suddenly or forcibly.

1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 116 He trod the water Whose enmity he flung aside. 1874 Green Short Hist. vi. §4. 298 This resolve of Colet to fling aside the traditional dogmas of his day.

1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 441 Cromwel, I charge thee, fling away Ambition. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 4 Of the western provinces..she was the last that was conquered, and the first that was flung away. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. vi, Don't fling yourself away, my girl. 1873 Black Pr. Thule xxii. 371 Don't fancy I am flinging away a fortune out of generosity.

1587 Mirr. Mag., Sir N. Burdet lxiii, On euery syde full fast wee flang the French men downe. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth ii. (1723) 124 These are so far from raising Mountains, that they overturn and fling down some of those which were before standing.

1619 Fletcher & Massinger False One iv. ii, You flung me off, before the court disgrac'd me. 1711–4 Addison Spect. (J.) These men are too well acquainted with the chace to be flung off by any false steps or doubles. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxv, He has flung us off; and leaves us to poverty.

1649 Bp. Reynolds Serm. Hosea iv. 88 To goe from his word, and fling up his bargaine. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 94 Should there be any occasion of flinging up new works about the lines of communication. 1661 Pepys Diary 15 Sept., If she will not be ruled, I shall fling up my executor⁓ship. 1743 Fielding Wedding-day ii. vi, If you stay one moment longer, I'll fling up the affair. 1884 Punch 29 Nov. 263/2 I've had enough of this game and will fling up politics.

1858 Lytton What will he do ii. xii, You wrote to fling my churlish favours in my teeth. 1892 Speaker 29 Oct. 528/2 The elderly maxim about brevity being the soul of wit may be flung in my teeth.

1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 449 The mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope, And giue you entrance. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 110 ¶5 The Knight..ordered all the Apartments to be flung open. 1847 Tennyson Princess vi. 314 Fling our doors wide! 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. i. xxi, The young lady..flung-to the door and departed. 1885 Mabel Collins Prettiest Woman xii, When the dawn broke he flung open his window.

b. similarly with adj. as compl. rare.

1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. IX. xxi. 268 There are a great many hands flung idle in the present downbreak of finance.

III. 15. Comb. (the verb-stem used attrib.), as fling-brand (attrib.), that kindles strife or makes mischief; fling-dust, -stink, a contemptuous name for a harlot.

1616 T. Adams Sacrif. Thank. 23 It would a little Coole the preternaturall heate of the fling-brand fraternitie, as one wittily calleth them. 1621 Fletcher Wild Goose Chase iv. i, She is an English whore, a kind of fling-dust, One of your London light-o'-loves. 1679 T. Ticklefoot Trial Wakeman 7 That he was not President of the Benedictines, his Lordship affirmed from the Testimony of three Flingstinks.