What is "sling"

Sling \Sling\, n. [Cf. G. schlingen to swallow.] A drink composed of spirit (usually gin) and water sweetened.

Sling \Sling\, v. t. [imp. Slung, Archaic Slang; p. p. Slung; p. pr. & vb. n. Slinging.] [AS. slingan; akin to D. slingeren, G. schlingen, to wind, to twist, to creep, OHG. slingan to wind, to twist, to move to and fro, Icel. slyngva, sl["o]ngva, to sling, Sw. slunga, Dan. slynge, Lith. slinkti to creep.]

1. To throw with a sling. ``Every one could sling stones at an hairbreadth, and not miss.''
   --Judg. xx. 16.

2. To throw; to hurl; to cast.
   --Addison.

3. To hang so as to swing; as, to sling a pack.

4. (Naut) To pass a rope round, as a cask, gun, etc., preparatory to attaching a hoisting or lowering tackle.

Sling \Sling\, n. [OE. slinge; akin to OD. slinge, D. slinger, OHG. slinga; cf. OF. eslingue, of German origin. See Sling, v. t.]

1. An instrument for throwing stones or other missiles, consisting of a short strap with two strings fastened to its ends, or with a string fastened to one end and a light stick to the other. The missile being lodged in a hole in the strap, the ends of the string are taken in the hand, and the whole whirled rapidly round until, by loosing one end, the missile is let fly with centrifugal force.

2. The act or motion of hurling as with a sling; a throw; figuratively, a stroke.

   The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
   --Shak.

   At one sling Of thy victorius arm, well-pleasing Son.
   --Milton.

3. A contrivance for sustaining anything by suspension; as:

   1. A kind of hanging bandage put around the neck, in which a wounded arm or hand is supported.

   2. A loop of rope, or a rope or chain with hooks, for suspending a barrel, bale, or other heavy object, in hoisting or lowering.

   3. A strap attached to a firearm, for suspending it from the shoulder.

   4. (Naut.) A band of rope or iron for securing a yard to a mast; -- chiefly in the plural.

      Sling cart, a kind of cart used to transport cannon and their carriages, large stones, machines, etc., the objects transported being slung, or suspended by a chain attached to the axletree.

      Sling dog, one of a pair of iron hooks used as part of a sling. See def. 3 (b) above.

c.1300, "implement for throwing stones," from an unidentified continental Germanic source (such as Middle Low German slinge "a sling"); see sling (v.). The notion probably is of a sling being twisted and twirled before it is thrown. Sense of "loop for lifting or carrying heavy objects" first recorded early 14c. Meaning "piece of cloth tied around the neck to support an injured arm" is first attested 1720.

c.1200, "to knock down" using a sling, later "to throw" (mid-13c.), especially with a sling, from Old Norse slyngva, from Proto-Germanic *slingwanan (cognates: Old High German slingan, German schlingen "to swing to and fro, wind, twist;" Old English slingan "to creep, twist;" Old Frisian slinge, Middle Dutch slinge, Old High German slinga, German Schlinge "sling;" Middle Swedish slonga "noose, knot, snare"), from PIE *slengwh "to slide, make slide; sling, throw." Meaning "to hang from one point to another" (as a hammock) is from 1690s. Related: Slung; slinging.

sweetened, flavored liquor drink, 1807, American English, of unknown origin; perhaps literally "to throw back" a drink (see sling (v.)), or from German schlingen "to swallow."

"act of throwing," 1520s, from sling (v.).

n. (context weapon English) An instrument for throwing stones or other missiles, consisting of a short strap with two strings fastened to its ends, or with a string fastened to one end and a light stick to the other. vb. 1 To throw with a circular or arcing motion. 2 To throw with a sling. 3 (context nautical English) To pass a rope around (a cask, gun, etc.) preparatory to attaching a hoisting or lowering tackle.

1. n. a highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice

2. a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones [syn: slingshot, catapult]

3. a shoe that has a strap that wraps around the heel [syn: slingback]

4. a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released

5. bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck [syn: scarf bandage, triangular bandage]

6. [also: slung]

1. v. hurl as if with a sling [syn: catapult]

2. [also: slung]

A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone, clay, or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling.

A sling has a small cradle or pouch in the middle of two lengths of cord. The sling stone is placed in the pouch. The middle finger or thumb is placed through a loop on the end of one cord, and a tab at the end of the other cord is placed between the thumb and forefinger. The sling is swung in an arc, and the tab released at a precise moment. This frees the projectile to fly to the target. The sling essentially works by extending the length of a human arm, thus allowing stones to be thrown much farther than they could be by hand.

The sling is inexpensive and easy to build. It has historically been used for hunting game and in combat. Film exists of Spanish Civil War combatants using slings to throw grenades over buildings into enemy positions on the opposite street. Today the sling is of interest as a wilderness survival tool and an improvised weapon.

The word sling may refer to:

Sling furniture is usually a suspended, free-swinging chair, bed, or hammock that is made of a framework connected to hanging straps or rope. When attached to poles or a frame for carrying, a sling becomes a stretcher, a simple form of litter.

In surgery, a sling is an implant that is intended to provide additional support to a particular tissue. It usually consists of a synthetic mesh material in the shape of a narrow ribbon but sometimes a biomaterial (bovine or porcine) or the patients own tissue. The ends are usually attached to a fixed body part such as the skeleton.

A sling or runner is an item of climbing equipment consisting of a tied or sewn loop of webbing. These can be wrapped around sections of rock, hitched to other pieces of equipment, or tied directly to a tensioned line using a Prusik style knot. They may be used as anchors, to extend an anchor to reduce rope drag, in anchor equalization, or to climb a rope.

In the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow a shooter to carry a firearm (usually a long gun such as a rifle, carbine, shotgun, or submachine gun) on his/her person and/or aid in greater hit probability with that firearm. Various types of slings offer their own advantages and disadvantages, and can generally be divided into several categories.