sway

Etymology

From earlier swey (“to fall, swoon”), from Middle English sweyen, from Old Norse sveigja (“to bend, bow”), from Proto-Germanic *swaigijaną (compare Saterland Frisian swooie (“to swing, wave, wobble”), Dutch zwaaien, Dutch Low Saxon sweuen (“to sway in the wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₁- (compare Lithuanian svaĩgti (“to become giddy or dizzy”), the second element of Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌-𐬱𐬑𐬎𐬀𐬑𐬙𐬀 (paⁱri-šxuaxta, “to surround”), Sanskrit स्वजते (svájate, “he embraces, enfolds”). The noun derived from the verb.

noun

1. The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
2. A rocking or swinging motion.
   The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
3. 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. 2021-04-28, Tara Siegel Bernard, “Trading Stock Tips on TikTok, Newbies Are Deeply Invested in Learning”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
4. Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
5. Rule; dominion; control; power.
   Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s. Military still holds sway in a democracy that has yet to mature. 2019-06-08, Toru Takahashi, “Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s”, in Nikkei Asian Review, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 2019-06-09
6. A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
7. The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.

verb

1. To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
   sway to the music
   The trees swayed in the breeze.
2. To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
   to sway the sceptre
3. 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.
   After all this time […] the woman who endured all that by focusing on her hit list can be swayed from her course by the prospect of her family and her home. July 23, 2017, Brandon Nowalk, “The great game begins with a bang on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club
4. To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
   reeds swayed by the wind
   judgment swayed by passion
5. (nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
   to sway up the yards
6. To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
7. To have weight or influence.
8. To bear sway; to rule; to govern.