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Sway vs Spay - What's the difference?

sway | spay |

As nouns the difference between sway and spay

is that sway is the act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon while spay is .

As verbs the difference between sway and spay

is that sway is to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock while spay is to remove or destroy the ovaries (of an animal) so that it cannot become pregnant.

sway

English

(wikipedia sway)

Noun

(en 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; as, the sway of desires.
    • I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
  • Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
  • Rule; dominion; control.
  • A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
  • The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed .
  • To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade .
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *: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; warp.
  • :
  • *(John Tillotson) (1630-1694)
  • *:Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
  • (lb) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
  • :
  • To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:The balance sways on our part.
  • To have weight or influence.
  • *(Richard Hooker) (1554-1600)
  • *:The example of sundry churchesdoth sway much.
  • To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.

    • See also

    * persuade

    Anagrams

    * * English ergative verbs

    spay

    English

    Etymology 1

    From the (etyl) espeier, equivalent to the (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * (l) * (l)

    Verb

  • To remove or destroy the ovaries (of an animal) so that it cannot become pregnant.
    • Synonyms
    * castrate, emasculate (for a male) * geld * neuter * sterilize (used for all species and for both genders)

    References

    * “ spay, v.'']” listed in the '' [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Etymology 2

    See spayard.

    Noun

    (en noun)

    • References

    * “ spay]” listed as a variant spelling of “[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50232517 spaya(r)d, spayd]”, listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Anagrams

    * * * English terms with multiple etymologies ----