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sway
[ swey ]
verb (used without object)
- to move or swing to and fro, as something fixed at one end or resting on a support.
Synonyms:
- to move or incline to one side or in a particular direction.
- to incline in opinion, sympathy, tendency, etc.:
She swayed toward conservatism.
Synonyms: , ,
- to fluctuate or vacillate, as in opinion:
His ideas swayed this way and that.
- to wield power; exercise rule.
verb (used with object)
- to cause to move to and fro or to incline from side to side.
- to cause to move to one side or in a particular direction.
- Nautical. to hoist or raise (a yard, topmast, or the like) (usually followed by up ).
- to cause to fluctuate or vacillate.
- to cause (the mind, emotions, etc., or a person) to incline or turn in a specified way; influence.
- to cause to swerve, as from a purpose or a course of action:
He swayed them from their plan.
- to dominate; direct.
- to wield, as a weapon or scepter.
- to rule; govern.
noun
- the act of swaying; swaying movement.
- rule; dominion:
He held all Asia in his sway.
- dominating power or influence:
Many voters were under his sway.
sway
/ ɱɪ /
verb
- usually intr to swing or cause to swing to and fro
- usually intr to lean or incline or cause to lean or incline to one side or in different directions in turn
- usually intr to vacillate or cause to vacillate between two or more opinions
- to be influenced or swerve or influence or cause to swerve to or from a purpose or opinion
- tr nautical to hoist (a yard, mast, or other spar)
- archaic.to rule or wield power (over)
- archaic.tr to wield (a weapon)
noun
- control; power
- a swinging or leaning movement
- archaic.dominion; governing authority
- hold swayto be master; reign
Derived Forms
- ˈɲڳܱ, adjective
- ˈɲⲹ, adjective
- ˈɲ, noun
Other Word Forms
- ɲa· adjective
- ɲİ noun
- ɲiԲ· adverb
- -ɲ noun
- un·ɲa· adjective
- ܲ·ɲiԲ adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of sway1
Word History and Origins
Origin of sway1
Idioms and Phrases
see hold sway .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
But as Times reporter David Enrich explains in an expansive March 3 feature, presenting a solid case affirming Sullivan's protections may not be enough to sway this court from shooting it down.
Aimee testified, and perhaps for the first time in her life, was unable to use her words to sway an audience.
Billy is often seen bobbing, pacing and swaying — all signs of brain damage caused by years of captivity, the organization said.
As he rode in his popemobile around the vast airport carpark waving to the crowd, palm trees swayed furiously in the storm.
She defended her leadership of the Conservatives and insisted she would not be swayed by internal criticism about the amount of policy she had announced so far.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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