▪ I. swingeing, swinging, vbl. n.
(ˈswɪndʒɪŋ)
[f. swinge v.1 + -ing1.]
The action of swinge v.1; scourging, flogging, beating, dealing of blows.
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 10 This course of swinging and beating seemeth meete for bondslaves. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. ii. 56 Whether it be direct infringing An Oath, if I should wave this swinging. 1844 Maj. Jones's Courtship 180 (Bartlett) Go it, old fellow; give the goats a swinging every time you come across them. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. ii, To these we paid no heed.., being in the thick of swinging. |
▪ II. swingeing, ppl. a. (adv.)
(ˈswɪndʒɪŋ)
Also 6–9 swinging, 7–9 swindging.
[f. swinge v.1]
1. That swinges; scourging, flogging. rare.
| 1614 D. Dyke Myst. Selfe-Deceiuing xvii. 229 He tels him of the seuere schoole-master, of the swindging roddes, of the hard feruler. 1618 ― Two Treat., School of Affliction 339 The first Schoolemaster is Affliction. A sharp, and seuere and swinging Schoolemaster indeed. |
2. Very forcible, great, or large; huge, immense. Chiefly, now only, colloq. or slang; mostly arch. or dial. (Cf. thumping, whopping.)
| c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon xv. 34 May not a man haue a lustie fier there, a pot of good ale, a paire of cardes, a swinging peece of chalke, and a browne toast? 1597 Tofte Laura xiii, Thicke swinging showers. a 1600 Flodden F. viii. (1664) 80 And swindging swaps made many swelt. 1677 W. Hughes Man of Sin ii. vii. 111 Many other of those foolish and childish Penances may be seen in the Author quoted... There is one swinging one, I can't pass over. 1678 Dryden Limberham v. i, I dream'd..that a great swinging Thief came in, and whipt 'em out. 1691 Mrs. D'Anvers Academia 30, I had a swinging mind to go, And hear the Organs. 1694 Motteux Rabelais iv. xii, My Gentleman must pay him such swindging damages, that his acres may bleed for't. 1706 Hearne Collect. 17 Feb. (O.H.S.) I. 187 That Swinging Orthodox G. Burnett Bp. of Sarum. 1711 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 13 Nov., I..now have got a swingeing cold. 1748 Richardson Clarissa VII. 19 Lady Sarah Sadleir and Lady Betty Lawrance, will also die, and leave me swindging legacies. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. iii, He hath devoured two swinging butter-toasts this morning for breakfast. 1771 Goldsm. Haunch of Venison 82 At the top a fried liver and bacon were seen; At the bottom was tripe, in a swinging tureen. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xxviii, To make a swingeing profit. 1857 Borrow Rom. Rye xliii, The horse fetched a good swinging price. 1876 R. Bridges Growth of Love xxvii, Old Leviathan..Had never rib nor bray nor swindging fan Like his iron swimmer of the Clyde or Tyne. 1904 Times (Lit. Supp.) 15 July 218/3 The jury gave swinging damages. |
b. as adv. Hugely, immensely.
| 1690 Dryden Amphitryon i. i, He has sent me to will and require you to make a swinging long night for him. 1706 Hearne Collect. 16 Sept. (O.H.S.) I. 288 A swinging fat Wife. 1711 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 7 June, At dinner there fell the swingingest long shower. 1810 Scott Lady of L. vi. v, Our vicar still preaches that Peter and Poule Laid a swinging long curse on the bonny brown bowl. 1836 Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 20 A swingeing big Pig. 1872 C. D. Warner Backlog Studies 246 Christmas Eve was..a placid, calm, swingeing cold night. |
† 3. (After swinge n.1 1.) Powerful, authoritative. Obs.
| 1567 Turberv. tr. Mantuan's Ecl. iii. 18, I wote not who doth rule the winds and beares the swinging swaye. |
Hence ˈswing(e)ingly adv. (colloq. or slang), very greatly or forcibly, hugely, immensely.
| 1672 Dryden Assignation iii. iii, I have sin'd swingingly, against my Vow. 1691 Shadwell Scowrers i. i, We drunk swingingly last night. 1703 De Foe Misc., Freeholder's Plea 172 Only we find we are swingingly tax'd; and they tell us 'tis done by the Parliament. 1720 Swift Poems, Excellent New Song 31 This wicked rogue Waters..if swearing can do't, shall be swingingly mawl'd. 1778 Foote Trip Calais i. Wks. 1799 II. 341, I reckon, your lordships were swingingly sous'd on the road. 1903 Kipling Five Nations, The Lesson 6 This was not bestowèd us under the trees, nor yet in the shade of a tent, But swingingly, over eleven degrees of a bare brown continent. |