Swapping vs. Swing: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 17, 2023
"Swapping" means exchanging one thing for another, while "Swing" refers to moving back and forth or side to side, or a change in state or condition.
Key Differences
Swapping involves the mutual exchange of items or services between parties and is often used in the context of trading or bartering. In contrast, Swing is a term that denotes movement with a regular motion or a shift in direction, mood, preference, or trend.
Swapping can be a casual activity, like exchanging books with friends, or a formal one, such as agreements in finance. Swing, however, refers to a broad range of contexts, from the physical movement of an object to changes in public opinion or musical styles.
Swapping is a concept based on reciprocity and equality, where the items or services exchanged are usually perceived to have comparable value. On the other hand, Swing indicates variability and unpredictability, often used to describe fluctuations or pendulum-like motions.
In technology, Swapping refers to the exchange of data between memory and storage, a method used to manage computer resources. Whereas, Swing doesn't typically refer to a technological process, but to the flexibility or oscillation in systems, decisions, or designs.
Swapping cultures can build communities, like clothing swaps, which promote sustainability by encouraging reuse. In contrast, Swing cultures revolve around dynamics and changes, like swing dance communities that celebrate the music and styles of the Swing Era.
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Comparison Chart
ZDefinition
Exchange of items or services
Regular motion back and forth or change in state
Usage Context
Trading, bartering, reciprocal agreements
Movement, fluctuation in trends, music, politics
Associated Terms
Trade, exchange, barter
Oscillation, fluctuation, sway
Emotional Connotation
Reciprocity, fairness
Freedom, rhythm, change
Common Phrases
Swap meet, swap out
Swing by, in full swing
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Swapping and Swing Definitions
Swapping
Exchanging one thing for another.
They were Swapping stickers in the schoolyard during recess.
Swing
A type of jazz music, or the dance performed to such music.
They love to Swing dance on Friday nights.
Swapping
To trade or barter items of equivalent value.
The two companies are Swapping products to expand their offerings.
Swing
A change in condition, mood, or trend.
The election could Swing in either direction.
Swapping
Substituting one item for another.
I'm Swapping my shift with a coworker next Friday.
Swing
A seat suspended from above for swinging.
The children played on the Swing in the park.
Swapping
In computing, the process of moving data between memory and storage.
The system is Swapping files to optimize performance.
Swing
To hit or attempt to hit something.
He took a Swing at the fastball.
Swapping
The act of exchanging positions.
The players are Swapping places on the field.
Swing
To move back and forth suspended or as if suspended from above.
Swapping
To trade one thing for another.
Swing
To hit at something with a sweeping motion of the arm
Swung at the ball.
Swapping
To exchange (one thing) for another.
Swing
To move laterally or in a curve
The car swung over to the curb.
Swapping
An exchange of one thing for another.
Swing
To turn in place on or as if on a hinge or pivot.
Swapping
A contract in which two parties agree to exchange periodic interest payments, especially when one payment is at a fixed rate and the other varies according to the performance of a reference rate, such as the prime rate.
Swing
To move along with an easy, swaying gait
Swinging down the road.
Swapping
The act by which something is swapped; an exchange.
Swing
To propel oneself from one place or position to another by grasping a fixed support
Swinging through the trees.
Swapping
Present participle of swap
Swing
To ride on a swing.
Swapping
(archaic) large; whopping
Swing
To shift from one attitude, interest, condition, or emotion to another; vacillate.
Swing
(Slang) To be put to death by hanging.
Swing
To have a subtle, intuitively felt rhythm or sense of rhythm.
Swing
To play with a subtle, intuitively felt sense of rhythm.
Swing
To be lively, trendy, and exciting.
Swing
To engage in promiscuous sex.
Swing
To exchange sex partners. Used especially of married couples.
Swing
To have a sexual orientation
Which way does he swing?.
Swing
To cause to move back and forth, as on a swing.
Swing
To cause to move in a broad arc or curve
Swing a bat.
Swung the car over.
Swing
To cause to move with a sweeping motion
Swinging his arms.
Swing
To lift and convey with a sweeping motion
Swung the cargo onto the deck.
Swing
To suspend so as to sway or turn freely
Swung a hammock between two trees.
Swing
To suspend on hinges
Swing a shutter.
Swing
To cause to turn on hinges
Swung the door shut.
Swing
To cause to shift from one attitude, position, opinion, or condition to another.
Swing
To manage or arrange successfully
Swing a deal.
Swing
To bring around to the desired result
Swing an election.
Swing
(Music) To play (music) with a subtle, intuitively felt sense of rhythm.
Swing
The act or an instance of swinging; movement back and forth or in one particular direction.
Swing
The sweep or scope of something that swings
The pendulum's swing is 12 inches.
Swing
A blow or stroke executed with a sweeping motion of the arm.
Swing
The manner in which one swings something, such as a bat or golf club.
Swing
A shift from one attitude, position, or condition to another
A swing to conservatism.
Swing
Freedom of action
The children have free swing in deciding what color to paint their room.
Swing
A swaying, graceful motion
Has a swing to her walk.
Swing
A sweep back and forth
The swing of a bird across the sky.
Swing
A course or tour that returns to the starting point
A swing across the state while campaigning.
Swing
A seat suspended from above, as by ropes, on which one can ride back and forth for recreation.
Swing
The normal rhythm of life or pace of activities
Back in the swing.
Swing
A steady, vigorous rhythm or movement, as in verse.
Swing
A regular movement up or down, as in stock prices.
Swing
A type of popular dance music developed about 1935 and based on jazz but employing a larger band, less improvisation, and simpler harmonic and rhythmic patterns.
Swing
A ballroom dance performed to this music.
Swing
A subtle, intuitively felt rhythmic quality or sense of rhythm.
Swing
(Music) Relating to or performing swing
A swing band.
Swing
Determining an outcome; decisive
The swing vote.
Swing
(intransitive) To rotate about an off-centre fixed point.
The plant swung in the breeze.
Swing
(intransitive) To dance.
Swing
(intransitive) To ride on a swing.
The children laughed as they swung.
Swing
(intransitive) To participate in the swinging lifestyle; to participate in wife-swapping.
Swing
(intransitive) To hang from the gallows; to be punished by hanging, swing for something or someone; (often hyperbolic) to be severely punished.
Swing
To move sideways in its trajectory.
Swing
To make the ball move sideways in its trajectory.
Swing
(intransitive) To fluctuate or change.
It wasn't long before the crowd's mood swung towards restless irritability.
Swing
(transitive) To move (an object) backward and forward; to wave.
He swung his sword as hard as he could.
Swing
(transitive) To change (a numerical result); especially to change the outcome of an election.
Swing
(transitive) To make (something) work; especially to afford (something) financially.
If it’s not too expensive, I think we can swing it.
Swing
To play notes that are in pairs by making the first of the pair slightly longer than written (augmentation) and the second shorter, resulting in a bouncy, uneven rhythm.
Swing
To move one's arm in a punching motion.
Swing
(transitive) In dancing, to turn around in a small circle with one's partner, holding hands or arms.
"to swing one's partner", or simply "to swing"
Swing
To admit or turn something for the purpose of shaping it; said of a lathe.
The lathe can swing a pulley of 12 inches diameter.
Swing
To put (a door, gate, etc.) on hinges so that it can swing or turn.
Swing
(nautical) To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor.
A ship swings with the tide.
Swing
The manner in which something is swung.
He worked tirelessly to improve his golf swing.
Door swing indicates direction the door opens.
The swing of a pendulum
Swing
The sweep or compass of a swinging body.
Swing
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing.
Swing
A hanging seat in a children's playground, for acrobats in a circus, or on a porch for relaxing.
Swing
A dance style.
Swing
(music) The genre of music associated with this dance style.
Swing
The amount of change towards or away from something.
Swing
(politics) In an election, the increase or decrease in the number of votes for opposition parties compared with votes for the incumbent party.
The polls showed a wide swing to Labour.
Swing
(cricket) Sideways movement of the ball as it flies through the air.
Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
Swing
In a musical theater production, a performer who understudies several roles.
Swing
A basic dance step in which a pair link hands and turn round together in a circle.
Swing
(obsolete) Free course; unrestrained liberty.
Swing
Influence or power of anything put in motion.
Swing
(boxing) A type of hook with the arm more extended.
Swing
To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to wave; to vibrate; to oscillate.
I tried if a pendulum would swing faster, or continue swinging longer, in case of exsuction of the air.
Swing
To sway or move from one side or direction to another; as, the door swung open.
Swing
To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.
Swing
To be hanged.
He had swung round the circle of theories and systems in which his age abounded, without finding relief.
Swing
To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward and forward, or from one side to the other.
He swings his tail, and swiftly turns his round.
They get on ropes, as you must have seen the children, and are swung by their men visitants.
Swing
To give a circular movement to; to whirl; to brandish; as, to swing a sword; to swing a club; hence, colloquially, to manage; as, to swing a business.
Swing
To admit or turn (anything) for the purpose of shaping it; - said of a lathe; as, the lathe can swing a pulley of 12 inches diameter.
Swing
The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation; as, the swing of a pendulum.
Swing
Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other; as, some men walk with a swing.
Swing
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing; especially, an apparatus for recreation by swinging, commonly consisting of a rope, the two ends of which are attached overhead, as to the bough of a tree, a seat being placed in the loop at the bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is produced for amusement or exercise.
Swing
Influence of power of a body put in swaying motion.
The ram that batters down the wall,For the great swing and rudeness of his poise,They place before his hand that made the engine.
Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
Swing
Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency.
To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to the full swing of his genius.
Swing
A state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity;
The party went with a swing
It took time to get into the swing of things
Swing
Mechanical device used as a plaything to support someone swinging back and forth
Swing
A sweeping blow or stroke;
He took a wild swing at my head
Swing
Changing location by moving back and forth
Swing
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
Swing
A jaunty rhythm in music
Swing
The act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
Swing
In baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball;
He took a vicious cut at the ball
Swing
A square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them
Swing
Move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting;
He swung his left fist
Swing a bat
Swing
Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner;
He swung back
Swing
Change direction with a swinging motion; turn;
Swing back
Swing forward
Swing
Influence decisively;
This action swung many votes over to his side
Swing
Make a big sweeping gesture or movement
Swing
Hang freely;
The ornaments dangled from the tree
The light dropped from the ceiling
Swing
Hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement;
The soccer player began to swing at the referee
Swing
Alternate dramatically between high and low values;
His mood swings
The market is swinging up and down
Swing
Live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style;
The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely
Swing
Have a certain musical rhythm;
The music has to swing
Swing
Be a social swinger; socialize a lot
Swing
Play with a subtle and intuitively felt sense of rhythm
Swing
Engage freely in promiscuous sex, often with the husband or wife of one's friends;
There were many swinging couples in the 1960's
Swing
To move back and forth or from side to side.
The pendulum began to Swing steadily.
FAQs
Is Swapping a sustainable practice?
It can be, as it encourages reusing and recycling items instead of purchasing new ones.
Can Swing refer to a style of music?
Yes, Swing is a style of jazz that was popular in the 1930s-1940s, known for its strong rhythm and fast pace.
Is Swapping always a fair exchange?
Ideally, Swapping involves a fair exchange, but the value of the items or services traded is subjective and agreed upon by the parties involved.
What does it mean to "Swing a vote"?
It refers to influencing a change in voting patterns, often deciding the outcome of an election.
Can Swapping occur in digital formats?
Yes, digital items such as e-books, music files, or digital images can also be swapped.
What does "in full Swing" mean?
It means at a high level of activity, operation, or performance.
What's a Swing state in politics?
A Swing state is one where both political parties have similar levels of support among voters and elections are often closely contested.
What does Swapping mean in everyday language?
Swapping generally refers to the act of exchanging one item for another between two or more parties.
Does Swapping have to be a direct exchange between two parties?
No, Swapping can also occur within a larger group or through intermediary platforms.
Can Swing indicate unpredictability?
Yes, especially in the context of changes in public opinion, market trends, or unpredictable movement.
What's the difference between Swapping and selling?
Swapping involves exchanging items without money, while selling involves receiving money in exchange for goods or services.
What is a Swap meet?
It's an event where people gather to exchange or sell goods, often used items, without a traditional retail environment.
Is Swapping legally binding?
It can be, if the terms of the exchange are part of a formal agreement or contract.
Can Swapping occur in financial markets?
Yes, financial Swaps are contracts in which two parties exchange financial instruments or payment streams.
Is Swapping common in certain cultures?
Yes, Swapping has a long history in many cultures as part of traditional trading systems and community support.
What does "take a Swing at" mean?
It means to attempt to hit something, or to make a verbal attack or criticism.
Does Swing have a scientific application?
In science, Swing can refer to oscillatory movements, like the swinging of a pendulum in physics.
Can a person be described as "Swing"?
Not typically, but a person can be described as "swingin'" in a colloquial sense to mean stylish or fashionable, especially in the context of jazz culture.
What does "Swing the pendulum" mean?
It means to cause a significant shift in opinion, momentum, or stance, often towards the opposite direction.
Is "Swing" used in sports terminology?
Yes, it's often used to describe the motion of hitting in sports like baseball, golf, or cricket.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
