or swindging, Swingeing, adj. (old).—Huge, astonishing: generic for size: anything that beats all else: see SWINGE, verb. Hence SWINGER = anything of size; a WHOPPER (q.v.). Spec. an unblushing falsehood.
1623. MABBE, The Spanish Rogue (1630), ii. 144. To make vs such a SWINGING pastie, that we might feed our fills.
1624. FLETCHER, Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, iv. 3. A SWINGING storm will sing you such a lullaby!
1648. HERRICK, Twelfe Night.
| And thus ye must doe | |
| To make the wassaile a SWINGER. |
1672. DRYDEN, The Assignation, iii. 3. Yours were but little vanities, but I have sinn’d SWINGINGLY against my vow.
1685. ECHARD, The Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy and Religion Enquired into, 187. How will his puling Conscience be put to it, to rap out presently half a dozen SWINGERS to get off cleverly?
1694. MOTTEUX, Rabelais, V. xviii. A SWINGEING ass’s touch-tripe fastened to his waist.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. SWINGING. Clap, Lye, Fellow, a very great one. I SWING’D HIM OFF, I lay’d on and beat him well-favoredly. He is SWING’D OFF, damnably Clapt.
1703. FARQUHAR, The Inconstant, i. 1. We have rid a SWINGING pace from Nemours since two this morning!
1725. N. BAILEY, trans. The Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 271. Did I not tell you a SWINGEING Lie, then?
1730. R. NORTH, The Lives of the Norths. [A certain monstrous proposition is called] a SWINGER.
1734. CAREY, Chrononhotonthologos, sc. 3. Now,… for a SWINGEING lye.
1742. FIELDING, Joseph Andrews, ii. 5. If your jury were Christians, they must give SWINGEING damages, that’s all.
1859. G. A. SALA, Twice Round the Clock, 4 A.M., 17. Retailing the fish at a SWINGEING profit.
1872. C. D. WARNER, Blacklog Studies, 264. A placid, calm, SWINGEING cold night.
1884. Pall Mall Gazette, 7 July. A good SWINGEING agitation against the House of Lords.
