"To fling" has several meanings as a verb. It can mean to throw with force, as in, "When she opened the bag and saw the contents, she flung it as far away as she could." "To fling" can also mean to move oneself in a forceful way. For example, "As soon as he got back from the walking tour, he flung himself into a chair and took off his shoes."
Another way that "fling" is used as a verb is to indicate the complete giving of oneself to a job or a project, as in the declaration, "After I harvest my crop, I intend to fling myself into mastering the art of gourd painting."
The word "fling" is sometimes used to refer to the act of flinging, as in the statement, "That frisbee player has a good, strong fling." "Fling" also refers to a short romantic relationship. For example, "Her fling with the man from Macondo left her breathless." Similarly, "fling" can indicate a time of indulging oneself, usually in something luxurious or trivial, as in the confession, "I locked myself in the back room and indulged in a three-day fling with dark chocolate."
"Fling" also refers to a Scottish folk dance. Kristy Duncan, PhD, cites three possible origins of the dance. Some historians believe that it originated as a war dance to celebrate a victory. Others think that the Scottish Fling began as a fertility dance, while others speculate that the dance was originally inspired by a leaping stag.
A number of products bear the name "Fling," including computer software, a portable music device application and a candy bar. A 2008 film was named "Fling," and the name has also been applied to a typeface and an online dating service.