Middle English Dictionary Entry
slingen v.
Entry Info
Forms | slingen v. Also sling, sling(g)e, scling; p. slang(e, sclang, s(c)long(e; pl. slang(e, slong(e(n, slunge; ppl. slungen, islunge, slunggun, slongen, i)slong. Contraction: slongem (slong him). |
Etymology | Prob. ON: cp. OI slyngva, p. slöng, pl. slungum, ppl. slunginn; also cp. OE slingan to wind, twist, p. slang, *pl. slungon & ME sling(e n.; & cp. OF (from Gmc.) eslinguer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. inslingen v., slengen v.
1.
(a) To throw (sb. or sth., esp. into a place or in a specified direction), hurl, fling; also, fell (an adversary) in battle; also, raze (a city); ~ abouten, swing (sb.) around; ~ doun (forth, oute, under, up); (b) to throw (sth.) away, discard; fig. discard (sb.), reject; ~ awei; (c) to hurl or fling oneself; (d) leten ~, to let fly (a blow); (e) to utter (words) contemptuously.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)356 : Þat bodi..into ane diche man it drovʒ, Into þe fouleste þat was þare a-boute, and þare-inne man it slong.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11077 : In a foul plodde in þe stret suþþe me him slong.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5674 : He toke þe gate bi þe legge And slong hem vp at his rigge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.306 : To the crowe he stirte..and out at dore hym slong [vr. sclonge].
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)997 : He bade þe children fast be bound And into þe fire slong.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21142 : Dun o þe temple þai him suang, And siþen stans at him slang.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)137/1732,1734,1737 : By þe shulders oon he recheþ And slong him about and let him goon..Anoþer he slong aʒens þe walle..Þe þrydde he lauʒt..And at a wendow he slang him out.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)104 : Syn the feend hath youen thee a fal..ryse vp & slynge him doun!
- a1425 Body & S.(5) (Add 37787)417 : He was þere in a sadel slunggun And scholde to þe turnement.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)145/233* : Þai slang it furth in to þe gate.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6591 : Out of his sadel he him sclong Vilonsly among the throng.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3855 : Þe toþer slely slynges hym vndire.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)672 : With my dart þou sall be slayne And slongen of thi mere.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)6986 : His ragged clothes he of kest And slang hem forth into the forest.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4388 : Some..brouʒten to tymbyr..and þe wode And slunge it into þe mode.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4322 : Barnes fra þair moder pappes þai schoke And slange þaim to þe grounde.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)86 : In a dymme prysoun þey slongen here deepe.
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)221 : Sche toke the stocke in her honde, And in to the pytt sche yt sclang.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1296 : The Troiens..Slogh hom downe sleghly & slaunge hom to grounde.
b
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)317/321 : As touchyng þis money..Þat Judas..has wauyd away..Howe saie ʒe þer-by? Anna: Sir, sen he it slang, we schall it saue.
- c1450 NPass.(Cmb Ii.4.9)86/853 : The thyrty platys..Oute of hys lappe he hem schoke, And slonge hem alle sone.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4557 : Gude men had grace, schrewes ware slongen, To drery dede doune war þai dongen.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875)p.47 : Slynge awey þese scorners, he seiþ, wiþ here shrewid fliting.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5529 : On þe destrer onon he slang; Als arewe of bowe forþ he sprang.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)14252 : He let his stede to him flyng Als harde as he myght slyng.
- c1450 Kynge of grace (Trin-C B.11.24)91 : The see woll ryse..Thorowe the strength off þe wynd Into the Welken hitt schall slynge.
d
- a1425 Libeaus (LinI 150)285/363 : Lette þey slyng [Lamb: Dyntis con they dynge].
e
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6581 : But Eueas [read: Eneas] be war, he abyes The bolde wordes that dede [read: he dede] sclyng.
2.
(a) To throw (a stone) with a sling; also, fire (a crossbow bolt); (b) to throw stones or other missiles with a sling; (c) to strike down (sb., a bird) with a stone thrown from a sling; (d) to strike (sb.); (e) to beat (the white of an egg).
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7474 : Þe normans..stones adonward [B: donward] slonge vpe hom ynowe.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)128/26 : Þou ert þe slinge, þy sone þe ston Þat dauy slange golye op-on.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)29b/b : Fundo, -as: to slynge.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)17b : Quod ad iactandos lapides fundis exercendi sunt tyrones..How þei mote ben vsed to slynge and to caste stones.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2112 : I schal slynge at þe many a vyre And ben avengyd hastely here.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)115b : To Slynge: fundare, funditare.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)17b : Þe moderes ne woleþ noʒt no day ʒiue hir ʒonge sones hir dyner til þei haue wiþ her slynges y slunge [vr. yslong] þerto and hut it.
- c1450 Rich.(Add 31042)p.307 : Þe staffe slyngers full faste þay slynge.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)55/593 : Þu dudest i þe lutle dauið þe selhðe þet he slong & of sloh wið a stan to deaðe þe stronge Golie.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)410 : To þaire profett þou con foulis slyng, And þei will venyson to þe bryng.
d
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)607 : Þei conen spet on him alle..And slongem wit palmes in þe place.
e
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)196 : Tak..þe whyte of viij eyren & slyng hem wel & put in anon.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)197 : Þenne ix whytes of eyron, & slyngge hem.