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sway - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'sway' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Sway [ n.]
- The act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep of a weapon.
- Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
- Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
- Rule; dominion; control.
- A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
2 . Sway [ v. i.]
- To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter.
- To influence or direct by power and authority; by persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide.
- 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.
- To hoist; as, to sway up the yards.
- To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
- To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward.
- To have weight or influence.
- To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

Meaning of 'sway' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . sway [ v]
Meaning (1):
- win approval or support for
Example in sentence:
  • Carry all before one;
  • His speech did not sway the voters
Meaning (2):
- move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner
Example in sentence:
  • He swung back
Meaning (3):
- cause to move back and forth
Example in sentence:
  • rock the baby;
  • rock the cradle;
  • the wind swayed the trees gently
Meaning (4):
- move back and forth or sideways
Example in sentence:
  • She rocked back and forth on her feet;
  • the ship was rocking;
  • the tall building swayed

Nearby Words:

swa swab swabbed swabber swabbing swad swaddle swaddlebill swaddled swaddler

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