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 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?

have one's ass in a sling

and have got one's ass in a sling

Sl. 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?

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.

slings and arrows

unpleasant, negative attacks He was surprised by the slings and arrows directed at him by several economists.

Etymology: from the phrase a€?the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunea€? in Shakespeare's play a€?Hamleta€?

sling/throw mud at somebody

if someone slings mud at another person, they try to make other people have a low opinion of them by saying unpleasant things about them Companies should think carefully before slinging mud at someone who may respond with a libel action costing millions of dollars.

Sling your hook!

(British informal, old-fashioned)

an impolite way of telling someone to go away When he couldn't pay the rent, she told him to sling his hook.

See sling mud at

the slings and arrows (of outrageous fortune)

(literary)

unpleasant things that happen to you that you cannot prevent

Usage notes: This phrase comes from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. Slings and arrows are weapons used to attack people, and fortune means things that happen to you.

We all have to suffer the slings and arrows, so there's no point getting depressed when things go wrong.

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.

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.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
LabhrÁS	LOW-raws, LAV-raws	Irish
Tiffani	TIF-ə-nee	English
Clement	['klemənt]
Iman	-	Arabic, Persian, Indonesian
Fedelma	-	Irish
ĐUraĐA	-	Serbian, Croatian (Archaic)