# sling

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈslɪŋ/ · frequency rank #18,698

## Definitions
1. To throw with a circular or arcing motion.
2. To throw with a sling.
3. To pass a rope around (a cask, gun, etc.) preparatory to attaching a hoisting or lowering tackle.
4. To sell, peddle, or distribute (often illicitly, e.g. drugs, sex, etc.).

## Etymology
From Middle English slynge (noun), slyngen (verb), probably from Old Norse slyngja, slyngva (“to hurl”), from Proto-Germanic *slingwaną (“to worm, twist”) or compare Old English slingan (“to wind, twist”), from the same source.
Compare German schlingen (“to swing, wind, twist”), Danish and Norwegian slynge), from Proto-Indo-European *slenk- (“to turn, twist”) (compare Welsh llyngyr (“worms, maggots”), Lithuanian sliñkti (“to crawl like a snake”), Latvian slìkt (“to sink”)).

## Easily confused with
- **song** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-song)
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-spin)
- **slip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-slip)
- **sung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-sung)
- **slit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-slit)
- **slug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-slug)
- **slog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-slog)
- **stig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-stig)
- **swig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-swig)
- **swing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-swing)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-spine)
- **sting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-sting)
- **slips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-slips)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-stint)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-spins)
- **suing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-suing)
- **swung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-swung)
- **stink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-stink)
- **swine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-swine)
- **stung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-stung)

## Common misspellings (8)
`lsing`, `silng`, `slign`, `slingg`, `slinng`, `slling`, `slnig`, `ssling`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sling