swing [OE] Our word swing meant both ‘to beat or whip’ and ‘to rush, to fling yourself’ in Old English. The ‘playground swing’ sense of the noun dates from the late 17th century. The saying what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts [E20th], usually shortened to swings and roundabouts is from the fairground. Swing [L19th] is an easy flowing but vigorous rhythm, especially in jazz. In the 1930s a swinger was a jazz musician who played with ‘swing’. The 1960s saw the swinger become a lively, fashionable person, and also someone who was into partner-swapping or group sex—known as swinging.