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! You're the one who messed up the budget, so don't fling mud at me! Once you're that famous, the tabloids just constantly fling mud.

get (one's) ass in a sling

rude slang

1. To be severely punished or berated for some wrongdoing. You're gonna get your ass in a sling if the boss finds out you've been using the company credit card without permission! A: "Where's Sarah?" B: "I heard she got her ass in a sling after her parents caught her sneaking out over the weekend." You borrowed Joanie's car and put a big dent in it? Man, you deserve to get your ass in a sling!

2. To be sad, upset, annoyed, or disappointed (possibly due to having been punished). A: "What's wrong with Paul?" B: "Oh, he'll be fine. He always gets his ass in a sling when the boss shoots down one of his dumb ideas." I hope you didn't get your ass in a sling because of the things I said to you—I was just joking! Try not to get your ass in a sling over the promotion. None of us stood a chance with the CEO's daughter in the running.

have got (one's) ass in a sling

rude slang To be sad, upset, or disappointed (possibly due to having been punished). A: "Why's Phil got his ass in a sling today?" B: "I think the boss wasn't thrilled that he in his budget late." What's wrong with Betty? She's clearly got her ass in a sling about something. I hope you haven't got your ass in a sling over the promotion. None of us stood a chance with the CEO's daughter in the running.

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.

See also: hook, sling

sling (something) at (someone or something)

1. To toss, throw, or heave something in the direction of someone or something else. They popped up from behind the bushes and started slinging snowballs at us. The people in the crowd slung rotten vegetables at the condemned man as he marched through the town square.

2. To give or offer something, especially money, to someone, especially as an incentive to do something. They slung a bunch of money at the famous actor to star in their crappy commercial.

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 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 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.

sling mud

To disparage someone; to attempt to mar someone's reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, but my opponent has no problem slinging mud! The radio presenter is known for slinging mud whenever he disagrees with a public figure.

See also: mud, sling

sling mud at (one)

To disparage one; to attempt to mar one's reputation. I'm trying to maintain a fair and respectable campaign, and my opponent has no problem slinging mud at me.

See also: mud, sling

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 criticize 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.

sling out

1. To toss, throw, or heave something out and away from oneself. I love getting up early and strolling to the beach to watch the fishermen sling out their nets in the bay. The soldiers atop the wall began slinging out rocks and any other debris they could find to repel the invaders.

2. To serve some kind of food or drink very hastily or haphazardly. I spent the day slinging out soup and sandwiches at the local homeless shelter. We always have to sling burgers out as fast as possible during the lunch rush in the afternoon.

3. To expel or evict someone or some animal from some location. A new vulture fund has been buying up properties all over the country and slinging the existing tenants out. The security guard slung me out for trying to shoplift.

slings and arrows

1. Harsh criticisms, judgments, or personal attacks. Her unpopular opinions have brought slings and arrows on her from people all over the country. Now that you're the boss, get ready to face the slings and arrows of unhappy customers and employees alike.

2. Unpleasant or difficult hardships. We've had our share of slings and arrows, but we've managed to build ourselves up into a stable business.

See also: and, arrow, sling

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!

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?

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.

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.

See also: mud, sling

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sling your hook

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED, INFORMAL

If 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.

See also: hook, sling

sling mud

throw 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.

See also: mud, sling

slings and arrows

mainly BRITISH, LITERARY

Slings 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)

See also: and, arrow, sling

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

sling your hook

leave; go away. British informal

Sling 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.

See also: hook, sling

fling (or sling or throw) mud

make disparaging or scandalous remarks or accusations. informal

The 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 ).

sling beer

work as a bartender. North American informal

sling hash (or plates)

serve food in a cafe or diner. North American informal

slings 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.

See also: and, arrow, sling

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.

See also: hook, sling

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’.

See also: and, arrow, sling

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.

See also: and, arrow, sling

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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