noun
The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
A rocking or swinging motion.
The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
Though both Mr. Knight and Mr. Hennessey view themselves as traders first, the “finfluencer” culture has flourished with the surge in online interest, and they have considerable sway.
Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
Rule; dominion; control; power.
Prospero:[…]Confederates / (ſo drie he was for Sway) with King of Naples / To giue him Annuall tribute, doe him homage / Subiect his Coronet, to his Crowne and bend / The Dukedom yet vnbow'd (alas poore Millaine) / To moſt ignoble ſtooping.
Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s. Military still holds sway in a democracy that has yet to mature.
verb
To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
sway to the music
The trees swayed in the breeze.
To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
to sway the sceptre
As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly, / When heauie hammers on the wedge are swaid
To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade.
Do you think you can sway their decision?
This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; to warp.
reeds swayed by the wind
judgment swayed by passion
To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
to sway up the yards
name
A village and civil parish in New Forest district, Hampshire, England (OS grid ref SZ2798).