fling
/flɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /flɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfliŋ/ (ame, mw)
fling — verb
- flingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- flingshe / she / it
- flungpast simple
- flinging-ing form
1. to use sudden, forceful motion to make something or someone travel through the a
to use sudden, forceful motion to make something or someone travel through the air or land somewhere — often driven by anger, excitement, or impatience; for instance, flinging your coat onto a chair when you arrive home in a bad mood.
Feng flung his backpack onto the sofa the moment he came home.
fling + noun + onto + location
The protester flung a plastic bottle at the police van during the rally.
Ari flung the broken chair out of the second-floor window after the renovation.
Nila flung her school books across the desk in frustration.
A strong gust of wind flung the garden gate open with a loud bang.
文法句型
fling + noun phrase + prepositional phrase
fling + noun phrase + adverb
用法筆記
Commonly followed by a prepositional phrase showing direction of the throw — onto, into, out of, at, across, over. The transitive object is the thing being thrown.
常見錯誤
2. to move your whole body, an arm or leg, or something you are holding, with a sud
to move your whole body, an arm or leg, or something you are holding, with a sudden burst of energy — for example, flinging yourself onto a sofa after a long day, or flinging open a window to let fresh air in.
After a ten-kilometre hike, Asher flung himself onto the hotel bed.
fling + yourself + onto [surface]
Femi flung open the curtains and let bright sunlight fill the living room.
fling + open + noun (curtains/window/door)
The children flung themselves into the swimming pool with a huge splash.
Gabriela flung the door shut when she heard the bad news on the phone.
Baraka flung his arms around his grandmother when she stepped off the train.
- throw yourself
similar meaning but fling suggests more urgency
- rush
focuses on speed; fling adds physical motion of the body
- hurl yourself
very similar, but hurl can sound more violent
文法句型
fling + yourself + prepositional phrase
fling + open/shut
fling + body part + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with a reflexive pronoun (fling yourself) or with an open/shut complement after a door, window, or curtain. The movement is always abrupt and energetic, never slow or careful.
常見錯誤
3. to utter words in a sudden, angry, or aggressive manner — for example, flinging
to utter words in a sudden, angry, or aggressive manner — for example, flinging an accusation at a colleague during an argument, or flinging a rude remark at a stranger.
I do not care what you think! Christopher flung at his sister across the table.
fling + direct speech + at + person
During the team meeting, Nikos flung angry accusations at his manager.
fling + noun phrase + at + person
You are always late! Walid flung at his friend before walking away angrily.
Ezra flung a sarcastic comment at the waiter when the order arrived wrong.
- retort
a quick, sharp reply; fling is more aggressive and less controlled
- hurl
overlapping meaning — hurl insults, hurl accusations; very similar register
- shoot back
informal; suggests speed but not necessarily anger
文法句型
fling + speech + at + person
fling + noun phrase + at + person
用法筆記
The object is typically spoken content — accusations, insults, remarks, questions, or comments. The speech or words are always directed at a person via the preposition at.
常見錯誤
fling — noun
- flingsingular
- flingsplural
1. a limited stretch of time in which you let yourself do whatever you enjoy, witho
a limited stretch of time in which you let yourself do whatever you enjoy, without thinking about rules, duties, or consequences — for instance, travelling freely before starting a new job, or going out every night during a holiday.
Before starting her new job, Romi had a final fling travelling around Japan.
have a final fling + gerund
The music festival was a weekend fling before everyone went back to real life.
Dewi enjoyed a two-week fling of surfing and beach life before her new job began.
Feng treated the road trip as a summer fling before beginning graduate school.
The twins decided to have one last fling at the beach before exams started.
- commitment
a long-term responsibility, opposite of a brief fling
- routine
regular daily life, opposite of a special fling
文法句型
have a fling
a last fling
a summer fling
用法筆記
Most often appears in the phrase have a fling. A fling is always temporary — it lasts days or weeks, not months or years. Can also refer to a short romantic relationship that is not serious, though the broader meaning of self-indulgent enjoyment is more common.
常見錯誤
2. a short, usually casual attempt to do or try something new, without a deep or se
a short, usually casual attempt to do or try something new, without a deep or serious commitment — for example, trying your hand at writing poetry for a few weeks, or attempting a new hobby for a short time.
Ezra had a brief fling at learning Japanese but gave up after two months.
have a fling at + gerund
The company had a brief fling at the European market before pulling out.
Nila took a fling at writing short stories during her long train commute.
His fling at professional cycling ended when he injured his knee in a race.
文法句型
have/take a fling at + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun/sense 1 (BRIEF ENJOYMENT): sense 2 focuses on trying something new or light-hearted, not necessarily on enjoyment or indulgence. The object of the attempt often follows the preposition at.