What Does Sway Mean?

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What does sway mean?

Definitions for swaysweɪsway

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word sway.

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. swaynoun

   controlling influence

2. rock, careen, sway, tiltverb

   pitching dangerously to one side

3. rock, sway, shakeverb

   move back and forth or sideways

   "the ship was rocking"; "the tall building swayed"; "She rocked back and forth on her feet"

4. swing, swayverb

   move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner

   "He swung back"

5. carry, persuade, swayverb

   win approval or support for

   "Carry all before one"; "His speech did not sway the voters"

6. rock, swayverb

   cause to move back and forth

   "rock the cradle"; "rock the baby"; "the wind swayed the trees gently"

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. swaynoun

   The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.

2. swaynoun

   A rocking or swinging motion.

   The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.

3. swaynoun

   Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.

   I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.

4. swaynoun

   Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.

5. swaynoun

   Rule; dominion; control.

6. swaynoun

   A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.

7. swaynoun

   The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion

8. swayverb

   To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.

9. swayverb

   To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter.

10. swayverb

    To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade

    Do you think you can sway their decision?

11. swayverb

    To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind

    judgment swayed by passion

12. swayverb

    To hoist (a mast or yard) into position

    to sway up the yards

13. swayverb

    To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.

14. swayverb

    To have weight or influence.

15. swayverb

    To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

16. Etymology: Earlier 'to fall, swoon', from sweyen, from sveigja 'to bend, bow', from swaigijanan (cf. East Frisian swooie 'to swing, wave', Dutch zwaaien 'id.', Low German 'to sway in the wind'), from swaig- (cf. Lithuanian svaĩgti ‘to become giddy or dizzy’, Avestan pairipairišxuaxta ‘to surround’, Sanskrit ‘he embraces, enfolds’).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Swaynoun

   Etymology: from the verb.

   1. The swing or sweep of a weapon.

   To strike with huge two-handed sway. John Milton.

   2. Any thing moving with bulk and power.

   Are not you mov’d, when all the sway of earthShakes like a thing unfirm? William Shakespeare, Julius Cæsar.

   ExpertWhen to advance, or stand, or turn the swayOf battle. John Milton.

   3. Power; rule; dominion.

   This sort had some fear that the filling up the seats in the consistory, with so great number of laymen, was but to please the minds of the people, to the end they might think their own sway somewhat. Richard Hooker.

   In the end, very few excepted, all became subject to the sway of time: other odds there was none, saving that some fell sooner, and some later, from the soundness of belief. Hook.

   Only retainThe name and all th’ addition to a king;The sway, revenue, execution of th’ hest,Beloved sons, be yours. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   Her father counts it dangerousThat she should give her sorrow so much sway,And in his wisdom hastes our marriage,To stop the inundation of her tears. William Shakespeare.

   Too truly Tamerlane’s successors they;Each thinks a world too little for his sway. John Dryden, Aurengz.

   When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway,The post of honour is a private station. Joseph Addison, Cato.

   4. Influence; direction.

   An evil mind in authority doth not only follow the sway of the desires already within it, but frames to itself new desires, not before thought of. Philip Sidney.

   They rush along, the rattling woods give way,The branches bend before their sweepy sway. Dryden.

2. To Swayverb

   Etymology: schweben, German, to move.

   1. To wave in the hand; to move or weild with facility: as, to sway the scepter.

   Glancing fire out of the iron play’d,As sparkles from the anvil rise,When heavy hammers on the wedge are sway’d. Fa. Queen.

   2. To biass; to direct to either side.

   Heav’n forgive them, that so much have sway’dYour majesty’s good thoughts away from me. William Shakespeare.

   I took your hands; but was, indeed,Sway’d from the point, by looking down on Cæsar. William Shakespeare.

   The only way t’ improve our own,By dealing faithfully with none;As bowls run true by being madeOn purpose false, and to be sway’d. Hudibras.

   3. To govern; to rule; to overpower; to influence.

   The lady’s mad; yet if ’twere so,She could not sway her house, command her followers,With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing. William Shakespeare.

   The will of man is by his reason sway’d;And reason says, you are the worthier maid. William Shakespeare.

   On Europe thence, and where Rome was to swayThe world. John Milton, Paradise Lost.

   A gentle nymph, not far from hence,That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream,Sabrina is her name. John Milton.

   Take heed lest passion swayThy judgment to do ought, which else free willWould not admit. John Milton, Paradise Lost.

   The judgment is swayed by passion, and stored with lubricous opinions, instead of clearly conceived truths. Joseph Glanvill.

   This was the raceTo sway the world, and land and sea subdue. Dryden.

   With these I went,Nor idle stood with unassisting hands,When savage beasts, and mens more savage bands,Their virtuous toil subdu’d; yet those I sway’dWith pow’rful speech: I spoke, and they obey’d. Dryden.

   When examining these matters, let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest. John Tillotson.

3. To Swayverb

   1. To hang heavy; to be drawn by weight.

   In these personal respects, the balance sways on our part. Francis Bacon.

   2. To have weight; to have influence.

   The example of sundry churches, for approbation of one thing, doth sway much; but yet still as having the force of an example only, and not of a law. Richard Hooker.

   3. To bear rule; to govern.

   The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear,Shall never sagg with doubt, nor shake with fear. William Shakespeare.

   Had’st thou sway’d as kings should do,They never then had sprung like summer flies. William Shakespeare.

   Aged tyranny sways not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   Here thou shalt monarch reign;There did’st not: there let him still victor sway. John Milton.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sway

   Sway is a song by New Zealand singer Bic Runga. It was released as the second single from her debut studio album, Drive (1997). At the New Zealand Music Awards of 1998, the song won three awards, Single of the Year, Best Songwriter and Best Engineer (Simon Sheridan). In 2001 it was voted 6th best New Zealand song of all time by members of APRA. An acoustic version of the song can be found on the charity album Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2. The song was featured in the 1999 film American Pie as well as the 2012 American Reunion. In September 2019, Runga re-recorded the song for Waiata / Anthems, a collection of re-recorded New Zealand pop songs to promote Māori Language Week. The new version, retitled "Haere Mai Rā / Sway", featured lyrics reinterpreted by scholar Tīmoti Kāretu.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sway

   Sway generally refers to moving or causing to move slowly or rhythmically backwards and forwards or from side to side. It can also refer to controlling or influencing someone or something subtly or indirectly, or holding a controlling influence over.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Swayverb

   to move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter

2. Swayverb

   to influence or direct by power and authority; by persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide

3. Swayverb

   to cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind; judgment swayed by passion

4. Swayverb

   to hoist; as, to sway up the yards

5. Swayverb

   to be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline

6. Swayverb

   to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward

7. Swayverb

   to have weight or influence

8. Swayverb

   to bear sway; to rule; to govern

9. Swaynoun

   the act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep of a weapon

10. Swaynoun

    influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires

11. Swaynoun

    preponderance; turn or cast of balance

12. Swaynoun

    rule; dominion; control

13. Swaynoun

    a switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sway

   "Sway" is the English version of "¿Quién será?", a 1953 mambo song by Mexican composer and bandleader Pablo Beltrán Ruiz. The most famous version is that of Dean Martin recorded in 1954. English lyrics are by Norman Gimbel. Since then the song has been recorded and remixed by many artists.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sway

   swā, v.t. to swing or wield with the hand: to incline to one side: to influence by power or moral force: to govern: to hoist, raise.—v.i. to incline to one side: to govern: to have weight or influence.—n. the sweep of a weapon: that which moves with power: preponderance: power in governing: influence or authority inclining to one side: a thatcher's binding-switch.—adj. Swayed (Shak.), bent down and injured in the back by heavy burdens—said of a horse. [Prob. Scand., as Ice. sveigja, Dan. svaie, to sway; akin to swing.]

CrunchBaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sway

   Headquartered in the Silicon Prairie of Madison, Wisconsin, Shoutlet, Inc. was a privately held technology firm that developed tools to help global brands, small businesses, and marketing agencies build, engage, and measure social media communication via one affordable, easy-to-use, multi-user application.

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sway

   The swing or sweep of a weapon. “To strike with huge two-handed sway.”

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sway

   Song lyrics by sway -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by sway on the Lyrics.com website.

2. SWAY

   What does SWAY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the SWAY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. SWAY

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sway is ranked #112568 in terms of the most common surnames in America.The Sway surname appeared 156 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Sway.82% or 128 total occurrences were White.8.9% or 14 total occurrences were Asian.4.4% or 7 total occurrences were Black.

Matched Categories

1. • Move
   • Move Back And Forth
   • Power

Usage in printed sourcesFrom:

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Anagrams for sway »

1. ways

2. yaws

How to pronounce sway?

1. AlexUS EnglishDavidUS EnglishMarkUS EnglishDanielBritishLibbyBritishMiaBritishKarenAustralianHayleyAustralianNatashaAustralianVeenaIndianPriyaIndianNeerjaIndianZiraUS EnglishOliverBritishWendyBritishFredUS EnglishTessaSouth African

How to say sway in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sway in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sway in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of sway in a Sentence

1. Joseph Addison:

   Content thyself to be obscurely good. When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, the post of honor is a private station.

2. Ivo Daalder:

   You clearly have a much weaker Britain whose sway in European capitals is lessened by the vote.

3. Patrick Murray:

   It's not clear that it's actually going to be productive, that's not simply because it undermines his brand identity as a positive person, but it doesn't look like it's having an impact with the voters you need to sway.

4. Norihiro Fujito:

   You need to be careful of big futures players' positions as their strategy could sway the market sharply, those global macro investors are the 'trend setters' in the market. If they start selling Topix futures, it's not a good sign.

5. Devin Allen:

   Now I understand how powerful an image can be. I understand I'm not too small to make a change. I'm still an activist. I'm still a protester, you know. But at the same time, I'm in a different place now, you know, I have a lot of attention on me, so I'm able to give back to the community. I'm able to inspire the youth and sway, you know, them with my words and by telling my story. ... Devin Allen is -- you know, everyone calls me the 'Eyes of Baltimore.'.

more sentences »

Popularity rank by frequency of use

sway#10000#20466#100000

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNethttp://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=sway
2. ^ Wiktionaryhttps://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Sway
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionaryhttps://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=sway
4. ^ Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sway
5. ^ ChatGPThttps://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionaryhttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sway
7. ^ Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=sway
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionaryhttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=sway
9. ^ CrunchBasehttps://www.crunchbase.com/organization/sway
10. ^ Military Dictionary and Gazetteerhttps://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59563/pg59563-images.html
11. ^ Surnames Frequency by Census Recordshttps://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html
12. ^ Usage in printed sourceshttps://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=sway

Translations for sway

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

• swaaieAfrikaans
• تمايلArabic
• beeinflussen, schaukeln, sich wiegen, schwanken, schwenken, beherrschen, schwingenGerman
• εξουσίαGreek
• balanceo, balancear, influenciaSpanish
• heiluttaa, hallita, heilunta, huojua, huojunta, heilua, kallistua, heiluminen, vaikuttaa, vaikutusvalta, huojuminenFinnish
• sveiggj, sveiggjaFaroese
• balancementFrench
• बोलबालाHindi
• ringatózás, befolyás, himbálózik, ringatózik, imbolyog, hintázás, inog, hullámzás, hintázik, suhint, hullámzik, lóbál, ringHungarian
• bergoyangIndonesian
• ondeggiareItalian
• לְהִתְנַעֲנֵעַHebrew
• imperiumLatin
• raumaewa, tītahataha, kōngangengangeMāori
• whakapakepake, koiriMalay
• svai, svinge, svaieNorwegian
• zwaaienDutch
• trząść, rządzić, władzaPolish
• balançar, oscilaçãoPortuguese
• legănareRomanian
• власть, качать, качание, качатьсяRussian
• ஸ்வேTamil
• แกว่งไปแกว่งมาThai
• колисьUkrainian
• بولوUrdu
• 摇摆Chinese

Get even more translations for sway »

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