English Dictionary
Definition of “sway”
sway (sweɪ
)
Definitions
verb
- (usually intr) to swing or cause to swing to and fro
- (usually intr) to lean or incline or cause to lean or incline to one side or in different directions in turn
- (usually intr) to vacillate or cause to vacillate between two or more opinions
- to be influenced or swerve or influence or cause to swerve to or from a purpose or opinion
- (tr) nautical to hoist (a yard, mast, or other spar)
- archaic or poetic to rule or wield power (over)
- (tr) archaic to wield (a weapon)
noun
- control; power
- a swinging or leaning movement
- archaic dominion; governing authority
- See hold sway
Alternative Forms
ˈswayable adjective ˈswayer noun ˈswayful adjective Word Origin
C16: probably from Old Norse sveigja to bend; related to Dutch zwaaien, Low German swājen
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
influence,
control,
direct,
affect,
guide,
dominate,
persuade,
govern,
win over,
induce,
prevail on,
=
power,
control,
influence,
government,
rule,
authority,
command,
sovereignty,
jurisdiction,
clout,
dominion,
predominance,
ascendency,
Translations
- British English:
sway
When people or things sway, they lean or swing slowly from one side to the other.The people swayed back and forth.sweɪ VERB The people swayed back and forth.
- Spanish:
balancearse
v
- French:
balancer
vi
- German:
schwanken
v
- Chinese: 摇摆 v
- Arabic: يَتَمَايَلُ v
- Portuguese: balançar-se v
- Russian: качать v
- Croatian: pokolebati v
- Czech: zhoupnout (se) v houpat (se)
- Danish: svinge v
- Dutch: slingeren v
- Finnish: huojua v
- Greek: ταλαντεύομαι v
- Italian: oscillare v
- Japanese: ゆすぶる v
- Korean: 전후(좌우)로 흔들리다 v
- Norwegian: svaie v
- Polish: zakołysać (się) v kołysać (się)
- Brazilian Portuguese: balançar-se v
- European Spanish:
balancearse
v
- Swedish: svaja v
- Thai: แกว่งไปมา v
- Turkish: salınmak v
- Vietnamese: đu đưa v
Usage examples
He promised to do everything in his own power to sway the argument, at whatever cost.
Kippax, Frank, The Scar (1990)Even the White House is not immune to the financial sway of big business.
Business Today (1998)The defence has complained that prosecutors had too much sway over grand jurors.
canada.com (2004)Now Gen Cortes Villa was grappling with the thought that Marxism held sway even in the House of Lords.
Independent (1998)With a few differences of detail, the same difficulties were felt in Vienna, where a similar repertory system held sway.
Susie Gilbert and Jay Shir, A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since 1945 (2003)
