sway
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See also: Sway
English
Etymology
From earlier swey (“to fall, swoon”), from Middle English sweyen, from Old Norse sveigja (“to bend, bow”), from Proto-Germanic *swaigijaną (compare Saterland Frisian swooie (“to swing, wave, wobble”), Dutch zwaaien, Dutch Low Saxon sweuen (“to sway in the wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₁- (compare Lithuanian svaĩgti (“to become giddy or dizzy”), the second element of Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌-𐬱𐬑𐬎𐬀𐬑𐬙𐬀 (pairi-šxuaxta, “to surround”), Sanskrit स्वजते (svájate, “he embraces, enfolds”).
The noun derived from the verb.
Pronunciation
Noun
sway (countable and uncountable, plural sways)
- The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
- A rocking or swinging motion.
- The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
- Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
- I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
- 2021 April 28, Tara Siegel Bernard, “Trading Stock Tips on TikTok, Newbies Are Deeply Invested in Learning”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
- Though both Mr. Knight and Mr. Hennessey view themselves as traders first, the “finfluencer” culture has flourished with the surge in online interest, and they have considerable sway.
- Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
- Rule; dominion; control; power.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :
- A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
- The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.
Derived terms
Translations
the act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon
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a rocking or swinging motion
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influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
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preponderance; turn or cast of balance
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rule; dominion; control
a switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work
Verb
sway (third-person singular simple present sways, present participle swaying, simple past and past participle swayed)
- (intransitive) To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
- sway to the music
- The trees swayed in the breeze.
- 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Afterglow”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 168:
- Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
- (transitive) To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
- to sway the sceptre
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 42:
- As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly, / When heauie hammers on the wedge are swaid
- (transitive) 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?
- 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC:
- This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
- (transitive) To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; to warp.
- reeds swayed by the wind
- judgment swayed by passion
- 1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: , 8th edition, London: T. Goodwin, B Tooke, and J. Pemberton, ; J. Round , and J Tonson] , published 1720, →OCLC:
- Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
- (nautical, transitive) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
- to sway up the yards
- To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
- a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a VVarre vvith Spaine. ”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany VVorks of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. , London: I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, , published 1629, →OCLC, page 64:
- euen in these Personall Respects, the Ballance swayes on our part: […]
- To have weight or influence.
- 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, , London: Will Stansby , published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
- The example of sundry churches […] doth sway much.
- To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
- 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :
- Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.
Derived terms
Translations
to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock
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to move or wield with the hand
to influence or direct by power and authority
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to cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward
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to be drawn to one side by weight or influence
to have weight or influence
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