Sway

Pronunciation

• enPR: swā, IPA: /sweɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ

Origin

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 *swaig- (compare Lithuanian svaĩgti ("to become giddy or dizzy"), the second element of Avestan (pairi-šxuaxta, "to surround"), Sanskrit (svájate, "he embraces, enfolds")). Cognate to Proto-Slavic *čьvati «swell, become bigger», Old Greek κυέω ("become pregnant").

Full definition of sway

Noun

1. The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
2. A rocking or swinging motion.The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
3. 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. Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
5. Rule; dominion; control.
6. A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
7. The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion

Verb

1. To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.The trees swayed in the breeze.sway to the music
• 1907, w, The Younger Set Chapter 5, 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 rose-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees ; … .
2. To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.to sway the sceptre
• SpenserAs sparkles from the anvil rise,
  When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed.
3. 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?
• DrydenThis was the race
  To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
4. To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.reeds swayed by the windjudgment swayed by passion
• TillotsonLet not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
5. (nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into positionto sway up the yards
6. To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
• Francis BaconThe balance sways on our part.
7. To have weight or influence.
• HookerThe example of sundry churches ... doth sway much.
8. To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
• ShakespeareHadst thou swayed as kings should do.

Anagrams

• ways
• yaws