sling n For phr in sense 1, cp OED ~ sb2 1, 2 a and naut senses in SMYTH 632; for comb ~ rock, cp DC ~ -ding (1955), Fisheries of U S 127.
1 Phr in slings: unfinished or held up; cluttered, untidy; in a state of confusion; SLATTER: slatter and sling.
[1909 BROWNE 173 A stout line is attached to the harpoon, which is 'payed out' to give the whale 'sea-room' until it becomes exhausted. It is then bound up to the side of the steamer by huge chain 'slings' and conveyed to the Factory.] 1925 Dial Notes v, 342 ~ Retarded; held up. 1937 DEVINE 29 ~ Delayed; deferred; unfinished or in suspense—like a barrel suspended in the slings while being hoisted from one place to another. C 69-8 To say something was ree-raw would mean it was in an awful mess or again in the slings. P 108-70 Since the painters came in, the whole place is in slings. P 107-78 The kitchen was all in slings.
go sling, ~ slingo, etc: crash! bang!
1925 Dial Notes v, 342 To go slingo. Denotes violent action or noise. [1929] 1933 GREENLEAF (ed) 241 "A Crowd of Bold Sharemen": Our skipper carried on to his mainsail too long, / When rounding Cape Charles, sling goes our main boom. P 102-60 He swabbed out the gun, put the bag of powder in and was driving it down tight when sling she goes and he was thrown about 30 feet down off the bank. T 31/5-64 I made a dart now to go along under the other one. And as I did, sling goes the other one an' took me, an' away I goes out in the water—souse! T 55-64 I stood for a while an' by an' by sling she goes again. An' I jumped. I didn't run though. T 143/4-651 We leaved an' went aboard, got underway—she didn't go far 'fore sling she goes on a rock—bango!
2 Comb sling line: light rope with weight attached, thrown from vessel to wharf and used to haul mooring cable ashore (P 127-77).
sling rock: one of a number of stones used to sink a fish-net in the water; LEAD1 (P 135-74).
