subs. (colloquial).—1. A fit of temper.
2. (common).—A jeer; a jibe; a personal allusion or attack.
1592. SHAKESPEARE, 1 Henry VI., iii. 1. Then would I have a FLING at Winchester.
1888. Star, 10 Oct. Those writers who had a FLING at Iddesleigh after his poor running at Stockton will have to take their words back some day.
1890. Pall Mall Gazette, 24 July, p. 4, col. 2. As the disputants warmed up, little personal FLINGS were of course introduced.
Verb (old).—1. To cheat; to get the best of; to DO (q.v.) or diddle.—GROSE.
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, ch. xxi. FLUNG the governor out of a guinea.
2. (Scots’).—To dance.
1791. BURNS, Tam o’ Shanter.
| To sing how Nannie lap and FLANG, | |
| (A souple jade she was and strang.) |
3. (venery).—To move in the act; to BACK-UP (q.v.). Fr., ‘frizer la queue = to wriggle the tayle (in leachering).’—COTGRAVE.
1539. LYNDSAY, Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis, Works (Ed. LAING, Edinburgh, 1879), ii. 29. I traist, scho sall find yow FLINGING your fill.
TO FLING OUT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To depart in a hurry, and, especially, in a temper.
TO FLING (or FLAP) IT IN ONE’S FACE, verb. phr. (prostitutes’).—To expose the person.
IN A FLING, adv. phr. (colloquial).—In a spasm of temper.
TO HAVE ONE’S FLING, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To enjoy full liberty of action or conduct. Cf., HIGH OLD TIME.
1624. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, iii., 5. I’ll have a FLING.
1846–8. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, ch. xiii. Hang it; the regiment’s just back from the West Indies, I must HAVE A LITTLE FLING, and then when I’m married I’ll reform.
1855. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, II., 118. I don’t want to marry until I HAVE HAD MY FLING, you know.
1880. W. S. GILBERT, The Pirates of Penzance. Peers will be peers, and youth will HAVE HIS FLING.
1891. HUME NISBET, Bail Up! p. 253. If policy (police) show up, then you let me HAVE MY FLING, eh?
TO FLING DIRT.—See DIRT.
