Meanings
fling1
plural flings
- An act of throwing, often violently.
- An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.
the fling of a horse
- An act or period of unrestrained indulgence, enthusiasm, or both.
When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure.
1838, Douglas William Jerrold, Men of Character2 more examples
"I am inclined to go and have a fling with them. Why not all of us — just for a minute or two — it will not detain us long?"
1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume I, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the first (The Maiden), page 23Here again steam is having its last fling, and the "dual link" drivers at Brunswick shed, Liverpool, already are alternating steam and diesel duties.
1960 February, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 113 - A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.
a summer fling
2 more examples
I had a fling with a girl I met on holiday.
Because I've noticed one thing / This ain't no summer fling
1976, “Oh Lori”, in Alessi, performed by Alessi BrothersSynonyms: affairette, dalliance, hookup, liaison
- obsoleteA severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt.
I, who love to have a fling, / Both at senate house and king.
c. 1732, Jonathan Swift, Epistle to a Lady1 more example
I can just make out clearly that he is having a good fling at the Pope. The congregation, numbering about two hundred, are evidently very much pleased with the clergyman's endeavour.
1880, Good Words, volume 21, page 167 - obsoleteA trifling matter; an object of contempt.
ante 1800, old proverb England were but a fling / Save for the crooked stick and the grey goose wing.
fling2
present singular third person flings · participle present flinging · participle past flung · past flung · colloquial dialectal participle past flang · colloquial dialectal past flang · nonstandard participle past flinged · nonstandard past flinged
- transitiveTo throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
'Tis Fate that casts the Dice, and as she flings, Of Kings makes Pedants, and of Pedants Kings.
1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, Charles Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Seventh Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC3 more examples
I know thy generous temper well. / Fling but the appearance of dishonour on it, / It straight takes fire.
1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4Wilkinson was struggling, sending the re-start straight into touch and flinging a pass the same way, and France then went close to the first try of the contest as Clerc took a long pass out on the left and was just bundled into touch by the corner flag.
2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 FranceSignalman Bridges was killed by the blast, as was fireman Nightall. Amazingly, driver Gimbert came round some 200 yards away, on the grass outside the Station Hotel where he had been flung.
2022 January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, in RAIL, number 948, page 43Synonyms: chuck, pitch, bung, cast, chuck, chunk, cook, dash
- intransitiveliteraryTo move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
And crop-full, out of doors he flings.
a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC3 more examples
I see, sir, said I, I see what a man I am with. […] And away I flung, leaving him seemingly vexed, and in confusion.
1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter CXIII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLCI flung closer to his breast, / As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath.
1856, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “(please specify either |book=1 to 9 or the page)”, in Aurora Leigh, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1857, →OCLC"We beseech your Majesty—" said Glozelle, but Miraz had flung out of the tent and they could hear him bawling out his acceptance to Edmund.
1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
Fling3
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.
verbTo throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna brief indulgence of your impulses
verbthrow or cast away
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
fling · noun
- Middle Englishfling
- Englishfling
From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →fling · verb
- Proto-Indo-European*pleh₂k-, *pleh₂g-“to beat”
- Proto-Indo-European*pleh₂k-“to beat”
- Proto-Germanic*flangijaną“to beat, whip”
- Old Norseflengja“to whip”
- Middle Englishflyngen
- Englishfling
From Middle English flyngen, from Old Norse flengja (“to whip”), from Proto-Germanic *flangijaną (“to beat, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k- (“to beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k-, *pleh₂g- (“to beat”). Cognate with Icelandic flengja (“to spank”), Norwegian flengja (“to rip, tear, or fling open”).
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic عَلَاقَة سَرِيعَة, علاقة طيارى
- عَلَاقَة سَرِيعَة (ʕalāqa sarīʕa)short sexual relationship
- علاقة طيارى (ʕelāqa ṭayyāri)short sexual relationship
- صَبَّ (ṣabba)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- رَمَّى (rammā)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- اِنْدَفَعَ (indafaʕa)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Bulgarian хвърляне, мятане
- хвърляне (hvărljane)act of throwing
- мятане (mjatane)act of throwing
- веселие (veselie)act of unrestrained indulgence
- развлечение (razvlečenie)act of unrestrained indulgence
- флирт (flirt)short sexual relationship
- хвърлям (hvărljam)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- запращам (zapraštam)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Catalan aventura, rotllo
- aventurashort sexual relationship
- rotlloshort sexual relationship
Chinese Mandarin 拋 /抛, 投
- 拋 /抛 (pāo)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- 投 (tóu)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- 鑄 /铸 (zhù)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- 扔 (rēng)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Czech mrsknutí, hození
- mrsknutíact of throwing
- hozeníact of throwing
- vrhnutíact of throwing
- mrštěníact of throwing
- vyhodit si z kopýtkaact of unrestrained indulgence
- aférkashort sexual relationship
- flirtshort sexual relationship
- krátký poměrshort sexual relationship
- mrštitto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- hoditto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- mrsknoutto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- hodit sebouto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- vrhnout seto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- skočitto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
Danish lejlighed til at slå sig løs, affære
- lejlighed til at slå sig løsact of unrestrained indulgence
- affæreshort sexual relationship
- smideto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- kasteto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- styrteto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- fareto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
Dutch slippertje, avontuurtje
- slippertjeshort sexual relationship
- avontuurtjeshort sexual relationship
- smijtento throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Esperanto ĵeti
- ĵetito throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Finnish heitto, sätkiminen
- heittoact of throwing
- sätkiminenact of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
- sätkeact of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
- pikasuhdeshort sexual relationship
- säätöshort sexual relationship
- hoitoshort sexual relationship
- viskatato throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- singotato throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- paiskatato throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- singahtaato throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- rynnätäto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
French jet, lancé
- jetact of throwing
- lancéact of throwing
- aventureshort sexual relationship
- passadeshort sexual relationship
- liaisonshort sexual relationship
- amouretteshort sexual relationship
- jeterto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- balancerto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
German Schleudern, Wurf
- Schleudernact of throwing
- Wurfact of throwing
- Werfenact of throwing
- Hinschleudernact of throwing
- Hinwerfenact of throwing
- Herumwerfenact of throwing
- Schwingenact of throwing
- Stossenact of throwing
- Stoßact of throwing
- ruckartige Bewegungact of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
- Schwungact of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
- Schwingenact of moving the limbs or body with violent movements
- schleudernto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- schmeißento throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- sich werfento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich hinwerfento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich hinschleudernto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich in etwas stürzento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich hinunterwerfento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich hinunterstürzento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich heranwerfen (an jemanden)to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich an jemanden ranwerfento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich herumwerfento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- sich fallen lassento throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
Hebrew סטוץ
- סטוץ (stutz)short sexual relationship
Indonesian banting, membanting
- bantingto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- membantingto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Irish spallaíocht
- spallaíochtshort sexual relationship
Italian avventura, slanciare
- avventurashort sexual relationship
- slanciareto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- scagliareto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Japanese 投げる
- 投げる (nageru)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Māori tāhoa
- tāhoato throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Norwegian Bokmål eventyr, affære
- eventyrshort sexual relationship
- affæreshort sexual relationship
Portuguese caso, ficada
- casoshort sexual relationship
- ficadashort sexual relationship
- arremessarto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- lançarto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Romanian arunca, aventură
- aruncaact of throwing
- aventurăshort sexual relationship
- aruncato throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
Russian любо́вное увлече́ние, интри́жка
- любо́вное увлече́ние (ljubóvnoje uvlečénije)short sexual relationship
- интри́жка (intrížka)short sexual relationship
- броса́ть (brosátʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- бро́сить (brósitʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- кида́ть (kidátʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- ки́нуть (kínutʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- мета́ть (metátʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- метну́ть (metnútʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- швыря́ть (švyrjátʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- швырну́ть (švyrnútʹ)to throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- бро́ситься (brósitʹsja)to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- броса́ться (brosátʹsja)to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- ки́нуться (kínutʹsja)to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- кида́ться (kidátʹsja)to throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
Spanish aventura, lío
- aventurashort sexual relationship
- líoshort sexual relationship
- rolloshort sexual relationship
- devaneoshort sexual relationship
- escarceo amorososhort sexual relationship
- amoríoshort sexual relationship
- embullitoshort sexual relationship
- enredoshort sexual relationship
- romanceshort sexual relationship
- ligueshort sexual relationship
- bacilónshort sexual relationship
- agarreshort sexual relationship
- aventarto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- lanzarto throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl
- tirarseto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- lanzarseto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- echarseto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
- arrojarseto throw oneself in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste
Swedish flört, affär
- flörtshort sexual relationship
- affärshort sexual relationship
- raggshort sexual relationship
- flingshort sexual relationship
- äventyrshort sexual relationship
Welsh sbri
- sbriact of unrestrained indulgence
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with fling
Cite this entry
fling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fling
“fling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fling. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fling.
Source: fling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.