Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Fling

Fling (fling) , transitive verb

[Old English flingen, flengen, to rush, hurl; compare Icelandic flengia to whip, ride furiously, OSw. flenga to strike, Swedish flanga to romp, Danish flenge to slash.]

1.
To cast, send, to throw from the hand; to hurl; to dart; to emit with violence as if thrown from the hand; as, to fing a stone into the pond.
'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings, Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings. — Dryden
He... like Jove, his lighting flung. — Dryden
I know thy generous temper well. Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire. — Addison
2.
To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.
The sun begins to fling His flaring beams. — Milton
Every beam new transient colors flings. — Pope
3.
To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.
His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him. — Walpole
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition. — Shakespeare
This question so flung down before the guests,... Was handed over by consent of all To me who had not spoken. — Tennyson

Fling , intransitive verb

1.
To throw; to wince; to flounce; as, the horse began to kick and fling.
2.
To cast in the teeth; to utter abusive language; to sneer; as, the scold began to flout and fling.
3.
To throw one's self in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste.
And crop-full, out of doors he flings. — Milton
I flung closer to his breast, As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath. — Mrs. Browning
Collocations (1)
To fling out , to become ugly and intractable; to utter sneers and insinuations.

Fling , noun

1.
A cast from the hand; a throw; also, a flounce; a kick; as, the fling of a horse.
2.
A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe; a sarcasm.
I, who love to have a fling, Both at senate house and king. — Swift
3.
A kind of dance; as, the Highland fling.
4.
A trifling matter; an object of contempt. [Obsolete]
England were but a fling Save for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing. — Old Proverb
5.
a short period during which one indulges one's wishes, whims, or desires in an unrestrained manner.
6.
a love affair.
7.
a casual or brief attempt to accomplish something. [informal]
8.
a period during which one tries a new activity; as, he took a fling at playing tennis.
Collocations (1)
To have one's fling , to enjoy one's self to the full; to have a season of dissipation. — D. Jerrold When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure. — J. H. Newman