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swaymore about sway

sway

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sway  \Sway\,  n. 
  1.  The  act  of  swaying;  a  swaying  motion;  the  swing  or  sweep 
  of  a  weapon. 
 
  With  huge  two-handed  sway  brandished  aloft. 
  --Milton. 
 
  2.  Influence,  weight,  or  authority  that  inclines  to  one  side 
  as  the  sway  of  desires.  --A.  Tucker. 
 
  3.  Preponderance;  turn  or  cast  of  balance. 
 
  Expert  When  to  advance,  or  stand  or  turn  the  sway 
  Of  battle.  --Milton. 
 
  4.  Rule  dominion;  control.  --Cowper. 
 
  When  vice  prevails,  and  impious  men  bear  sway,  The 
  post  of  honor  is  a  private  station.  --Addison. 
 
  5.  A  switch  or  rod  used  by  thatchers  to  bind  their  work 
  [Prov.  Eng.]  --Halliwell. 
 
  Syn:  Rule  dominion;  power;  empire;  control;  influence; 
  direction;  preponderance;  ascendency. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sway  \Sway\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Swayed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Swaying}.]  [OE.  sweyen,  Icel.  sveigja  akin  to  E.  swing;  cf 
  D.  zwaaijen  to  wield,  swing.  See  {Swing},  and  cf  {Swag},  v. 
  i.] 
  1.  To  move  or  wield  with  the  hand;  to  swing;  to  wield;  as  to 
  sway  the  scepter. 
 
  As  sparkles  from  the  anvil  rise,  When  heavy  hammers 
  on  the  wedge  are  swayed.  --Spenser. 
 
  2.  To  influence  or  direct  by  power  and  authority;  by 
  persuasion,  or  by  moral  force;  to  rule  to  govern;  to 
  guide. 
 
  The  will  of  man  is  by  his  reason  swayed.  --Shak. 
 
  She  could  not  sway  her  house.  --Shak. 
 
  This  was  the  race  To  sway  the  world,  and  land  and 
  sea  subdue.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  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. 
 
  As  bowls  run  true  by  being  made  On  purpose  false, 
  and  to  be  swayed.  --Hudibras. 
 
  Let  not  temporal  and  little  advantages  sway  you 
  against  a  more  durable  interest.  --Tillotson. 
 
  4.  (Naut.)  To  hoist;  as  to  sway  up  the  yards. 
 
  Syn:  To  bias;  rule  govern;  direct;  influence;  swing;  move 
  wave;  wield. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sway  \Sway\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  be  drawn  to  one  side  by  weight  or  influence;  to  lean; 
  to  incline. 
 
  The  balance  sways  on  our  part  --Bacon. 
 
  2.  To  move  or  swing  from  side  to  side  or  backward  and 
  forward. 
 
  3.  To  have  weight  or  influence. 
 
  The  example  of  sundry  churches  .  .  .  doth  sway  much 
  --Hooker. 
 
  4.  To  bear  sway;  to  rule  to  govern. 
 
  Hadst  thou  swayed  as  kings  should  do  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sway 
  n  1:  controlling  influence 
  2:  pitching  dangerously  to  one  side  [syn:  {rock},  {careen},  {tilt}] 
  v  1:  move  back  and  forth,  like  a  ship  [syn:  {rock},  {shake}] 
  2:  move  or  walk  in  a  swinging  or  swaying  manner;  "He  swung 
  back"  [syn:  {swing}] 
  3:  win  approval  or  support  for  "Carry  all  before  one"  [syn:  {carry}, 
  {persuade}] 
  4:  move  sideways  or  in  an  unsteady  way  as  of  a  ship  or  a 
  vehicle  out  of  control  [syn:  {careen},  {wobble},  {shift}, 
  {tilt}] 
  5:  sway  gently  back  and  forth,  as  of  flowers  or  tress  in  the 
  wind  [syn:  {nod}]




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