different between fling vs fad

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fl??/
• Rhymes: -??

Etymology 1

From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).

Noun

fling (plural flings)

1. An act of throwing, often violently.
2. An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.

3. An act or period of unrestrained indulgence.
   • 1838, Douglas William Jerrold, Men of Character

     When I was as young as you, I had my fling. I led a life of pleasure.
4. A short casual sexual relationship.

   Synonym: hookup

5. (figuratively) An attempt, a try (as in "give it a fling").
6. (obsolete) A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt.
   • c. 1732, Jonathan Swift, Epistle to a Lady

     I, who love to have a fling, / Both at senate house and king.

7. A lively Scottish country dance.

8. (obsolete) A trifling matter; an object of contempt.
   • ante 1800, old proverb

     England were but a fling / Save for the crooked stick and the grey goose wing.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English flingen, flengen, from Old Norse flengja (“to whip”), from Proto-Germanic *flangijan? (“to beat, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh?k- (“to beat”). Cognate with Icelandic flengja (“to spank”), Norwegian flengja (“to rip, tear, or fling open”).

Verb

fling (third-person singular simple present flings, present participle flinging, simple past flung or (colloquial or dialectal, nonstandard) flang or (nonstandard) flinged, past participle flung or (nonstandard) flinged)

1. (intransitive, now archaic) To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Letter 113:

     I see, sir, said I, I see what a man I am with. […] And away I flung, leaving him seemingly vexed, and in confusion.

   • I flung closer to his breast, / As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath.

2. (transitive) To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
   • I know thy generous temper well. / Fling but the appearance of dishonour on it, / It straight takes fire.
3. (intransitive, archaic) To throw; to wince; to flounce.
   • 1836, Helen Crocket, The Ettrick Shepherd's Last Tale

     The horse flung most potently, making his heels fly aloft in the air.

4. (intransitive, archaic) To utter abusive language; to sneer.

Translations

English

Etymology

Of English dialectal origin. Further origin obscure. Possibly from Old English ?efæd (“order, decorum”) (compare Old English ?efæd (“orderly, tidy”), fadian, ?efadian (“to set in order, arrange”); or from French fadaise ("a trifling thought"; see fadaise).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fæd/
• Rhymes: -æd

Noun

fad (plural fads)

1. A phenomenon that becomes popular for a very short time.
   • 2004, Andre R. Young, "Encore", Encore:

     You're a fad, that means you're something that we've already had, but once you're gone, you don't come back.

   • 2010, Eric J. Cesal, Down Detour Road: An Architect in Search of Practice (page 134)

     The pet rock fad was started by an advertising executive named Gary Dahl. The premise was simple: take ordinary rocks, glue eyes on them, and market them as pets.

Derived terms

• faddish
• faddy

Translations

Anagrams

• ADF, D.F.A., DAF, DFA, FDA, daf

Danish

Etymology 1

From French fade, from Late Latin *fatidus, a blend of Latin fatuus (“foolish”) and vapidus (“vapid”).

Adjective

fad (neuter fad or fadt, plural and definite singular attributive fade)

1. insipid, bland, slightly nauseating
2. (figuratively) flat, insipid, vapid

Etymology 2

From Old Norse fat (“vat, vessel, luggage, clothing”).

Noun

fad n (singular definite fadet, plural indefinite fade)

1. basin, bowl, dish
2. barrel, cask, vat

Inflection

German

Alternative forms

• fade (predominant in the northern half of Germany)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa?t/
• Homophones: Fahrt, Pfad (non-standard)
• Rhymes: -a?t

Adjective

fad (comparative fader, superlative am fadesten or am fadsten)

1. (predominant in southern Germany and Austria) vapid, flavourless

Declension

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish fot.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Aran) IPA^(key): /f??d??/
• (Connemara, Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /f?ad??/

Noun

fad m (genitive singular faid, nominative plural faid)

1. length

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

Mutation

References

• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “fot, fat”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• “fad” in Foclóir Gae?ilge agus Béarla, Irish Texts Society, 2nd ed., 1927, by Patrick S. Dinneen.
• "fad" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From French fade.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa?t/
  • Rhymes: -a?t

Adjective

fad (masculine faden, neuter fad, comparative méi fad, superlative am faadsten)

1. bland, insipid, tasteless
2. dull, boring, bland

Declension

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French fade.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fad/
• Rhymes: -ad

Adjective

fad m or n (feminine singular fad?, masculine plural fazi, feminine and neuter plural fade)

1. tasteless, flavorless, insipid

Declension

Synonyms

• searb?d, insipid, f?r? gust

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

fad m (genitive singular faid or faide)

1. length
2. distance
3. duration

Derived terms

Related terms

• fada

Determiner

fad

1. all, whole

Mutation

Volapük

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fad/

Noun

fad (nominative plural fads)

1. thread

Declension

Derived terms

• fadäd
• lefad