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Move vs. Sway — What's the Difference?

Move vs. Sway — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Move and Sway

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Move

To change in position from one point to another
Moved away from the window.

Sway

To swing back and forth or to and fro.

Move

To follow a specified course
Earth moves around the sun.

Sway

To incline or bend to one side; veer
She swayed and put out a hand to steady herself.

Move

To change posture or position; stir
Too scared to move.
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Sway

To incline toward change, as in opinion or feeling
He swayed toward trying out for the chorus.

Move

To start off; depart
After waiting for an hour, we decided it was time to move.

Sway

To fluctuate, as in outlook.

Move

(Games) To change position on a board in a board game.

Sway

To cause to swing back and forth or to and fro
The breeze swayed the wheat.

Move

To go from one residence or location to another; relocate
We moved to a new apartment.

Sway

To cause to incline or bend
The wind swayed the trees toward the house.

Move

(Linguistics) To be copied or moved by means of a movement transformation to a new position in syntactic structure.

Sway

To exert influence or control over
His speech swayed the voters.

Move

To progress in sequence; go forward
A novel that moves slowly.

Sway

(Nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.

Move

To progress toward a particular state or condition
Moving up in the company.
Move on to a new subject.

Sway

To rule or govern.

Move

To be disposed of by sale
Woolens move slowly in the summer.

Sway

To wield, as a weapon or scepter.

Move

To be put in motion or to turn according to a prescribed motion. Used of machinery.

Sway

The act of moving from side to side with a swinging motion.

Move

To exhibit great activity or energy
Things were really moving backstage.

Sway

Influence or control
The mayor has a lot of sway in our town.

Move

To initiate an action; act
It's time to make a decision and move.

Sway

The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.

Move

To be active in a particular environment
Moves in diplomatic circles.

Sway

A rocking or swinging motion.
The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.

Move

To stir the emotions
Words that have the power to move.

Sway

Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.

Move

To make a formal motion in parliamentary procedure
Move for an adjournment.

Sway

Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.

Move

To evacuate. Used of the bowels.

Sway

Rule; dominion; control; power.

Move

To change the place or position of
Moved the chair into the corner.
Could not move his arm.

Sway

A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.

Move

To cause to go from one place to another
Moved the crowd away.

Sway

The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.

Move

(Games) To change (a piece) from one position to another in a board game
Moved a pawn.

Sway

To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
Sway to the music
The trees swayed in the breeze.

Move

To change the course of
Moved the discussion to other matters.

Sway

To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
To sway the sceptre

Move

To cause to progress or advance
Moved the research into new thinking.

Sway

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?

Move

To dislodge from a fixed point of view, as by persuasion
"Speak to him, ladies, see if you can move him" (Shakespeare).

Sway

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

Move

To prompt to action; rouse
Anger moved her to speak out.

Sway

(nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
To sway up the yards

Move

To arouse the emotions of; affect or stir.

Sway

To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.

Move

To cause to function
This lever moves the elevator.

Sway

To have weight or influence.

Move

To cause to progress or advance
Moved the project beyond conventional thinking.

Sway

To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

Move

To propose or request in formal parliamentary procedure
Moved that a vote be taken.

Sway

To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter.
As sparkles from the anvil rise,When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed.

Move

To make formal application to (a court, for example).

Sway

To influence or direct by power and authority; by persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide.
The will of man is by his reason swayed.
She could not sway her house.
This was the raceTo sway the world, and land and sea subdue.

Move

To dispose of by sale
Moved the new merchandise quickly.

Sway

To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind; judgment swayed by passion.
As bowls run true by being madeOn purpose false, and to be swayed.
Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.

Move

To cause (the bowels) to evacuate.

Sway

To hoist; as, to sway up the yards.

Move

The act or an instance of moving.

Sway

To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
The balance sways on our part.

Move

A particular manner of moving
Made some intricate moves on the dance floor.

Sway

To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward.

Move

A change of residence or location.

Sway

To have weight or influence.
The example of sundry churches . . . doth sway much.

Move

An act of transferring a piece from one position to another in board games.

Sway

To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.

Move

The prescribed manner in which a piece may be played.

Sway

The act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep of a weapon.
With huge two-handed sway brandished aloft.

Move

A participant's turn to make a play.

Sway

Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.

Move

An action taken to achieve an objective; a maneuver
A move to halt the arms race.

Sway

Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
ExpertWhen to advance, or stand, or turn the swayOf battle.

Move

(intransitive) To change place or posture; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another.
A ship moves rapidly.
I was sitting on the sofa for a long time, feeling too lazy to move.

Sway

Rule; dominion; control.
When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway,The post of honor is a private station.

Move

(intransitive) To act; to take action; to begin to act
To move in a matter
Come on guys, let's move: there's work to do!

Sway

A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.

Move

(intransitive) To change residence, for example from one house, town, or state, to another; to go and live at another place. See also move out and move in.
I decided to move to the country for a more peaceful life.
They moved closer to work to cut down commuting time.
I'm moving next week but I don't have anything packed yet.
The rook moved from a8 to a6.
My opponent's counter was moving much quicker round the board than mine.

Sway

Controlling influence

Move

To cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to another
The waves moved the boat up and down.
The horse moves a carriage.

Sway

Pitching dangerously to one side

Move

To transfer (a piece) from one space or position on the board to another.
She moved the queen closer to the centre of the board.
He rolled a 5 and moved his counter to Boardwalk, the most expensive property on the Monopoly board.

Sway

Move back and forth or sideways;
The ship was rocking
The tall building swayed
She rocked back and forth on her feet

Move

(transitive) To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence.
This song moves me to dance.

Sway

Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner;
He swung back

Move

(transitive) To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion, to excite (for example, an emotion).
That book really moved me.

Sway

Win approval or support for;
Carry all before one
His speech did not sway the voters

Move

To propose; to recommend; specifically, to propose formally for consideration and determination, in a deliberative assembly; to submit
I move to repeal the rule regarding obligatory school uniform.

Sway

Cause to move back and forth;
Rock the cradle
Rock the baby
The wind swayed the trees gently

Move

To mention; to raise (a question); to suggest (a course of action); to lodge (a complaint).

Move

To incite, urge (someone to do something); to solicit (someone for or of an issue); to make a proposal to.

Move

To apply to, as for aid.

Move

To request an action from the court.
An attorney moved the court to issue a restraining order.
The district attorney moved for a non-suit.

Move

To bow or salute upon meeting.

Move

To sell or market (especially physical inventory or illicit drugs).
This business will fail if it can't move the inventory quickly.

Move

The act of moving; a movement.
A slight move of the tiller, and the boat will go off course.

Move

An act for the attainment of an object; a step in the execution of a plan or purpose.
He made another move towards becoming a naturalized citizen.

Move

A formalized or practiced action used in athletics, dance, physical exercise, self-defense, hand-to-hand combat, etc.
She always gets spontaneous applause for that one move.
He can win a match with that one move.

Move

The event of changing one's residence.
The move into my fiancé's house took two long days.
They were pleased about their move to the country.

Move

A change in strategy.
I am worried about our boss's move.
It was a smart move to bring on a tall striker to play against the smaller defenders.

Move

A transfer, a change from one employer to another.

Move

(board games) The act of moving a token on a gameboard from one position to another according to the rules of the game.
The best move of the game was when he sacrificed his rook in order to gain better possession.
It's your move! Roll the dice!
If you roll a six, you can make two moves.

Move

A round, in which each player has a turn.
You can win in three moves if you do that.

Move

To cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to another; to impel; to stir; as, the wind moves a vessel; the horse moves a carriage.

Move

To transfer (a piece or man) from one space or position to another on a playing board, according to the rules of the game; as, to move a king.

Move

To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence.
Minds desirous of revenge were not moved with gold.
No female arts his mind could move.

Move

To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion; to touch pathetically; to excite, as an emotion.
When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them.
[The use of images] in orations and poetry is to move pity or terror.

Move

To propose; to recommend; specifically, to propose formally for consideration and determination, in a deliberative assembly; to submit, as a resolution to be adopted; as, to move to adjourn.
Let me but move one question to your daughter.
They are to be blamed alike who move and who decline war upon particular respects.

Move

To apply to, as for aid.

Move

To change place or posture; to stir; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another; as, a ship moves rapidly.
The foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
On the green bank I sat and listened long, . . . Nor till her lay was ended could I move.

Move

To act; to take action; to stir; to begin to act; as, to move in a matter.

Move

To change residence; to remove, as from one house, town, or state, to another.

Move

To change the place of a piece in accordance with the rules of the game.

Move

The act of moving; a movement.

Move

The act of moving one of the pieces, from one position to another, in the progress of the game; also, the opportunity or obligation to so move a piece; one's turn; as, you can only borrow from the bank in Monopoly when it's your move.

Move

An act for the attainment of an object; a step in the execution of a plan or purpose.

Move

The act of deciding to do something;
He didn't make a move to help
His first move was to hire a lawyer

Move

The act of changing your residence or place of business;
They say that three moves equal one fire

Move

A change of position that does not entail a change of location;
The reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise
Movement is a sign of life
An impatient move of his hand
Gastrointestinal motility

Move

The act of changing location from one place to another;
Police controlled the motion of the crowd
The movement of people from the farms to the cities
His move put him directly in my path

Move

(game) a player's turn to move a piece or take some other permitted action

Move

Change location; move, travel, or proceed;
How fast does your new car go?
We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus
The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect
The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell

Move

Cause to move, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense;
Move those boxes into the corner, please
I'm moving my money to another bank
The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant

Move

Move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion;
He moved his hand slightly to the right

Move

Change residence, affiliation, or place of employment;
We moved from Idaho to Nebraska
The basketball player moved from one team to another

Move

Follow a procedure or take a course;
We should go farther in this matter
She went through a lot of trouble
Go about the world in a certain manner
Messages must go through diplomatic channels

Move

Be in a state of action;
She is always moving

Move

Go or proceed from one point to another;
The debate moved from family values to the economy

Move

Perform an action, or work out or perform (an action);
Think before you act
We must move quickly
The governor should act on the new energy bill
The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel

Move

Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon;
This child impressed me as unusually mature
This behavior struck me as odd

Move

Give an incentive for action;
This moved me to sacrifice my career

Move

Arouse sympathy or compassion in;
Her fate moved us all

Move

Dispose of by selling;
The chairman of the company told the salesmen to move the computers

Move

Progress by being changed;
The speech has to go through several more drafts
Run through your presentation before the meeting

Move

Live one's life in a specified environment;
She moves in certain circles only

Move

Have a turn; make one's move in a game;
Can I go now?

Move

Propose formally; in a debate or parliamentary meeting

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