FLING, v.t. pret. and pp. flung. [L. lego legare.]

1. A throw; a cast from the hand.
2. A gibe; a sneer; a sarcasm; a severe or contemptuous remark. – I, who love to have a fling, / Both at senate house and king. – Swift.

1. To flounce; to wince; to fly into violent and irregular motions. The horse began to kick and fling.
2. To cast in the teeth; to utter harsh language; to sneer; to upbraid. The scold began to flout and fling. To fling out, to grow unruly or outrageous. Shak.

1. To cast, send or throw from the hand; to hurl; as, to fling a stone at a bird. 'Tis fate that flings the dice; and as she flings, / Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants, kings. Dryden.
2. To dart; to cast with violence; to send forth. He – like Jove, his lightning flung. Dryden.
3. To send forth; to emit; to scatter. Every beam new transient colors flings. Pope.
4. To throw; to drive by violence.
5. To throw to the ground; to prostrate. The wrestler flung his antagonist.
6. To baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation. To fling away, to reject; to discard. Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition. Shak. To fling down, to demolish; to ruin. #2. To throw to the ground. To fling off, to baffle in the chase; to defeat of prey. Addison. To fling out, to utter; to speak; as, to fling out hard words against another. To fling in, to throw in; to make an allowance or deduction, or not to charge in an account. In settling accounts, one party flings in a small sum, or a few days work. To fling open, to throw open; to open suddenly or with violence; as, to fling open a door. To fling up, to relinquish; to abandon; as, to fling up a design.

1. To cast, send, to throw from the hand; to hurl; to dart; to emit with violence as if thrown from the hand; as, to fing a stone into the pond.
   
   

   'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings,
   Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings. Dryden.

   He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung. Dryden.

   I know thy generous temper well.
   Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it,
   It straight takes fire. Addison.

2. To throw; to wince; to flounce; as, the horse began to kick and fling.
3. A cast from the hand; a throw; also, a flounce; a kick; as, the fling of a horse.
4. To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.
   
   

   The sun begins to fling
   His flaring beams. Milton.

   Every beam new transient colors flings. Pope.

5. To cast in the teeth; to utter abusive language; to sneer; as, the scold began to flout and fling.
6. A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe; a sarcasm.
   
   

   I, who love to have a fling,
   Both at senate house and king. Swift.

7. To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.
   
   

   His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. Walpole.

   To fling about, to throw on all sides; to scatter. -- To fling away, to reject; to discard.

   Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition. Shak.

   --To fling down. (a) To throw to the ground; esp., to throw in defiance, as formerly knights cast a glove into the arena as a challenge.

   This question so flung down before the guests, . . .
   Was handed over by consent of all
   To me who had not spoken. Tennyson.

   (b) To overturn; to demolish; to ruin. -- To fling in, to throw in; not to charge in an account; as, in settling accounts, one party flings in a small sum, or a few days' work. -- To fling off, to baffle in the chase; to defeat of prey; also, to get rid of. Addison. -- To fling open, to throw open; to open suddenly or with violence; as, to fling open a door. -- To fling out, to utter; to speak in an abrupt or harsh manner; as, to fling out hard words against another. -- To fling up, to relinquish; to abandon; as, to fling up a design.

8. To throw one's self in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste.
   
   

   And crop-full, out of doors he flings. Milton.

   I flung closer to his breast,
   As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath. Mrs. Browning.

   To fling out, to become ugly and intractable; to utter sneers and insinuations.

9. A kind of dance; as, the Highland fling.
10. A trifing matter; an object of contempt.
    
    
    [Obs.]

    England were but a fling
    Save for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing. Old Proverb.

    To have one's fling, to enjoy one's self to the full; to have a season of dissipation. J. H. Newman. "When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure." D. Jerrold.