sling
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
sling off at (someone)
1. To tease, mock, or ridicule someone. Primarily heard in Australia, New Zealand. Ah, don't take everything so personally, I'm only slinging off at you! It took me a while to get used to the way Sarah's family slings off at each other off all the time.
2. To criticise or upbraid someone in a harsh, insulting, and abusive manner. Primarily heard in Australia, New Zealand. I wish the boss would offer some constructive criticism instead of just slinging off at us when something goes wrong. I'm so glad the neighbours moved. Every night, the wife slung off at her husband, and it was incredibly irritating to listen to.
ass in a sling
vulgar slang A phrase used when one has done something wrong and is now in trouble for it. When the boss finds out I haven't handed in my budget yet, I'll have my ass in a sling. Aw man, Mrs. Davis really put my ass in a sling. Could you hear the yelling all the way down the hall?
sling (one's) hook
To go away; to vacate some place. He told them to sling their hook after he found out they'd been drinking on the job.
sling mud at (one)
To disparage one, especially to the detriment of their reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, and my opponent has no problem slinging mud at me.
slings and arrows
Criticisms or judgments. Now that you're the boss, get ready to face slings and arrows from everyone who is unhappy with your company.
fling mud
To disparage someone, especially to the detriment of their reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, and my opponent has no problem flinging mud!
sling mud
To disparage someone, especially to the detriment of their reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, and my opponent has no problem slinging mud!
throw mud
To disparage someone, especially to the detriment of their reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, and my opponent has no problem throwing mud!
have (one's) ass in a sling
vulgar slang To punish one for a wrongdoing. When the boss finds out I haven't handed in my budget yet, he'll have my ass in a sling.
put (one's) ass in a sling
vulgar slang To punish one for a wrongdoing. Aw man, Mrs. Davis really put my ass in a sling. Could you hear the yelling all the way down the hall?
sling drinks
To serve alcoholic drinks behind a counter at a bar or pub. I had a part-time job slinging drinks during college to help me pay for my tuition. You'll need a college degree if you want to do more than just sling drinks for the rest of your life.
sling beer
To serve alcoholic drinks, especially draft beer, behind a counter at a bar or pub. Primarily heard in US. I had a part-time job slinging beer during college to help me pay for my tuition. You'll need a college degree if you want to do more than just sling beer for the rest of your life.
sling hash
1. To serve food at a diner or cheap restaurant. ("Hash," in this sense, refers to a dish or stew of chopped meat and vegetables.) I spent five years slinging hash for 60 hours a week to pay my way through college.
2. To sell hashish. (Hashish, shortened as "hash," is the resin from cannabis plants prepared to be smoked, chewed, or ingested.) I used to sling hash during my college days, but too many of my friends got locked up for it, so I got out of the game.
have one's ass in a sling
and have got one's ass in a slingSl. to be dejected or hurt; to be pouting. (Potentially offensive. Use only with discretion.) She's got her ass in a sling because she got stood up. So you didn't get a perfect score. Why do you have your ass in a sling?
sling something at someone or something
to heave or toss something at someone or something. The child slung a handful of mud at his playmate. Who slung this muddy mess at the side of the house?
See also: sling
sling something out
1. to toss or heave something outward. The fishermen slung their nets out into the water. They slung out their nets.
2. to throw something away. Just sling all that old junk out, if you will. sling out that stuff into the trash!
sling the cat
Sl. to empty one's stomach; to vomit. Suddenly Ralph left the room to sling the cat, I guess. That stuff will make you sling the cat.
ass in a sling, have one's
Also, get one's ass in a sling. Be (or get) in trouble, in a painfully awkward position, as in When the news about the slump in sales gets out he'll have his ass in a sling. Probably originating in the American South, this idiom may refer to so vigorous a kick in the buttocks (for which ass is a rude synonym) that the injured person requires a sling of the kind used to support a broken arm. [ Vulgar slang; c. 1930]
sling hash
Serve food in a restaurant, especially a cheap establishment. For example, The only job she could find was slinging hash in the neighborhood diner. This term alludes to the inelegant presentation and nature of the food, in effect, tossing hash before a customer. [Slang; mid-1800s]
sling mud at
Insult or discredit someone, as in The paper became famous for slinging mud at movie stars. This term replaced throw mud at, which dates from the second half of the 1700s.
sling your hook
BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED, INFORMALIf someone tells you to sling your hook, they are telling you to go away. One woman shouted to reporters `Sling your hook if you know what's good for you'. If Ruddock doesn't want to be part of this team then he should sling his hook. Note: The `hook' in this expression may be a ship's anchor, which had to be taken up and tied up with ropes or chains, which were called a sling, before the ship could move on.
sling mud
orthrow mud
COMMON If one person slings mud or throws mud at another, they say bad things about them in an attempt to spoil their reputation. The elections have been straight personality contests, with the candidates slinging as much mud at their opponents as they can manage. The newspaper and magazine articles that followed were especially vicious, with supporters of both stars quick to throw mud. Note: You can describe this kind of behaviour as mud-slinging or mud-throwing. Labour and Tory chiefs have ordered an end to political mud-slinging. Note: These expressions are used to show disapproval.
have someone's ass in a sling
orput someone's ass in a sling
AMERICAN, INFORMAL, RUDEIf someone has someone else's ass in a sling or puts someone else's ass in a sling, they punish them or cause trouble for them. I'm willing to bet Harris would put my ass in a sling for doing it. Note: You can also say that someone's ass is in a sling, meaning that they are in a difficult situation. His ass is in a sling and he knows it.
slings and arrows
mainly BRITISH, LITERARYSlings and arrows are bad things that happen to you and that are not your fault. She seemed generally unable to cope with the slings and arrows of life. He endured the usual slings and arrows of a life lived in the media spotlight. Note: This expression comes from the line the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, in Shakespeare's play `Hamlet'. People sometimes use this line in full. Ah well, we all have to bear the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Note: This is a quotation from a speech in Shakespeare's play `Hamlet', where Hamlet is considering whether or not to kill himself: `To be, or not to be - that is the question; Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?' (Act 3, Scene 1)
sling your hook
leave; go away. British informalSling your hook appears in a slang dictionary of 1874 , where it is defined as ‘a polite invitation to move on’.
1998 Times I now realise that Sylvia hasn't heard from him since she told him to sling his hook.
fling (or sling or throw) mud
make disparaging or scandalous remarks or accusations. informalThe proverb throw dirt (or mud) enough, and some will stick , to which this phrase alludes, is attributed to the Florentine statesman Niccolò Machiavelli ( 1469–1527 ).
put someone's (or have your) ass in a sling
land someone (or be) in trouble. North American vulgar slangsling beer
work as a bartender. North American informalsling hash (or plates)
serve food in a cafe or diner. North American informalslings and arrows
adverse factors or circumstances.This expression is taken from the ‘to be or not to be’ speech in Hamlet: ‘Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them’.
2001 Ian J. Deary Intelligence The genetic lottery and the environmental slings and arrows influence the level of some of our mental capabilities.
fling/sling/throw ˈmud (at somebody)
(informal) try to damage somebody’s reputation by telling other people bad things about them: Just before an election, politicians really start to sling mud at each other. ▶ ˈmud-slinging noun: There’s too much mud-slinging by irresponsible journalists.sling your ˈhook
(British English, informal) (often used in orders) go away: That boy’s a real nuisance. I tried telling him to sling his hook but he simply ignored me.the ˌslings and ˈarrows (of something)
the problems and difficulties (of something): As a politician you have to deal with the slings and arrows of criticism from the newspapers.This comes from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’.have one’s ass in a sling
tv. to be dejected or hurt; to be pouting; to be in trouble. (Usually objectionable. Have got can replace have.) She’s got her ass in a sling because she got stood up.
sling the cat
tv. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. Suddenly Ralph left the room to sling the cat, I guess.
slings and arrows
Difficulties or hardships.