Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Extreme in effect; drastic.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Great; huge.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective colloq. Huge; very large.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb archaic Present participle of swinge.
  • adjective UK large, immense
  • adjective powerful, scathing (a swingeing verbal attack)

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective severe; punishingly bad

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • David Cameron did say that he wouldn't make 'swingeing' cuts in the first year of his term.

    Giving evidence to the Chilcot inquiry, Tony Blair said: “I... 2010

  • The TUC urged ministers to reconsider the "swingeing" cuts to public spending and focus instead on other ways to reduce the deficit, such as the suggested

    icScotland 2010

  • Despite the handwringing about our trivial, celebrity-obsessed culture, voters seem more worried by Cameron's "swingeing" cuts to their jobs and services, or the threat of him tipping the country into a double-dip recession than they are charmed by his silky warmth on Woman's Hour.

    The Guardian World News Polly Toynbee 2010

  • By February this year, as polls showed that voters were taking fright at the idea of early cuts, Cameron toned down the rhetoric as he said that cuts would not be "swingeing".

    The Guardian World News Nicholas Watt 2010

  • Mr Cameron decided to change course in February when he assured voters that cuts in the first year would not be 'particularly extensive' and certainly not 'swingeing'.

    Home | Mail Online 2010

  • The TUC urged ministers to reconsider the "swingeing" cuts to public spending and focus instead on other ways to reduce the deficit, such as the suggested

    icBirmingham 2010

  • The TUC urged ministers to reconsider the "swingeing" cuts to public spending and focus instead on other ways to reduce the deficit, such as the suggested "Robin Hood" tax on financial transactions.

    Yahoo! News: Latest news headlines News Headlines | Top Stories 2010

  • The TUC urged ministers to reconsider the "swingeing" cuts to public spending and focus instead on other ways to reduce the deficit, such as the suggested "Robin Hood" tax on financial transactions.

    Belfasttelegraph.co.uk - Frontpage RSS Feed 2010

  • The TUC urged ministers to reconsider the "swingeing" cuts to public spending and focus instead on other ways to reduce the deficit, such as the suggested "Robin Hood" tax on financial transactions.

    Your Local Guardian | Wimbledon 2010

  • David Cameron has promised that a Conservative government would not make "swingeing" cuts and Alistair Darling has insisted

    New Statesman George Eaton 2010

Comments

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  • "...because of the Admiral's share of the last recapture, there were still the earlier ships, untainted by that vile twelfth, and there were after all the remaining eleven twelfths of the last; so that even allowing for the proctors' swingeing fees and the other legal expenses, it was reckoned that each single-share man would have fifty-three pounds thirteen and eightpence prize-money..."

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Reverse of the Medal, 75

    February 24, 2008