Library / English Dictionary

SLING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: slung   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck

Synonyms:

scarf bandage; sling; triangular bandage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sling" is a kind of...):

bandage; patch (a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sling" is a kind of...):

arm; weapon; weapon system (any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A shoe that has a strap that wraps around the heel

Synonyms:

sling; slingback

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sling" is a kind of...):

shoe (footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones

Synonyms:

catapult; sling; slingshot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sling" is a kind of...):

plaything; toy (an artifact designed to be played with)

Derivation:

sling (hurl as if with a sling)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("sling" is a kind of...):

highball (a mixed drink made of alcoholic liquor mixed with water or a carbonated beverage and served in a tall glass)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sling"):

brandy sling (a sling made with brandy)

gin sling (a sling made with gin)

rum sling (a sling made with rum)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hurl as if with a sling

Synonyms:

catapult; sling

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "sling" is one way to...):

cast; hurl; hurtle (throw forcefully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They sling the object in the water

Derivation:

sling (a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones)

slinger (a person who uses a sling to throw something)

slinging (throwing with a wide motion (as if with a sling))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hold or carry in a sling

Example:

he cannot button his shirt with his slinged arm

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "sling" is one way to...):

bear; carry; hold (support or hold in a certain manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move with a sling

Example:

sling the cargo onto the ship

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "sling" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Hang loosely or freely; let swing

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "sling" is one way to...):

hang; hang up (cause to be hanging or suspended)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

Then he had retreated with it to his room and slung it aloft.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Each wore a large, flapping hat, a brown linen pouch slung over one shoulder, and carried a long staff.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Twenty-four hours had passed since he had slashed open the hand that was now bandaged and held up by a sling to keep the blood out of it.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

It might include manipulations to reposition your bones, medicine, a splint or sling, and rehabilitation.

(Dislocations, NIH)

I took up twenty waiters in my hand, and placed them on the table: a hundred more attended below on the ground, some with dishes of meat, and some with barrels of wine and other liquors slung on their shoulders; all which the waiters above drew up, as I wanted, in a very ingenious manner, by certain cords, as we draw the bucket up a well in Europe.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

It was a new shock to me to find that he had on the suit of clothes which I had worn whilst travelling here, and slung over his shoulder the terrible bag which I had seen the women take away.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

There is only one lamp in it, upon the left-hand side, and as we approached this lamp I saw a man coming towards us with his back very bent, and something like a box slung over one of his shoulders.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He insisted upon having two rifles slung upon his back, so that both Professors were armed when he had made his transit.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A carriage-lamp was slung in each corner, and a very large stable-lantern hung from a rafter in the centre.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They can travel, too, with bag of meal and gridiron slung to their sword-belt, so that it is ill to follow them.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)