swing
This word evokes a sense of rhythmic, curved motion and instability. In a physical sense, it describes the arc of a pendulum or the playful movement of a suspended seat, emphasizing a repetitive return to a center point. In psychological or political contexts, it describes volatility and sudden shifts. It suggests a dramatic transition from one extreme to another, such as a mood swing or a shift in voter preference, rather than a gradual change.
Meanings
To move back and forth or from side to side while suspended from a point above.
"The pendulum continued to swing steadily."
To move an object back and forth or from side to side in a curving motion.
"He swung the bat with all his might."
To move back and forth while hanging from a support.
"The children love to swing from the monkey bars."
To suspend someone or something so that they can move back and forth.
"She swung the baby in a hammock to soothe him."
To change suddenly or repeatedly from one opinion, mood, or state to another.
"The voters tend to swing between the two major parties."
To change a situation or a result suddenly and significantly.
"A late goal swung the match in favor of the home team."
A seat suspended by ropes or chains on which someone can sit and move back and forth.
"The kids spent the whole afternoon on the garden swing."
A rhythmic movement back and forth or from side to side.
"The slow swing of the metronome helped the pianist keep time."