Usually means: Feign illness to avoid work.
Definitions Related words Mentions
We found 5 dictionaries that define the word swing the lead:

General (3 matching dictionaries)
  1. swing the lead: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
  2. swing the lead: Collins English Dictionary
  3. swing the lead: Wiktionary

Miscellaneous (1 matching dictionary)
  1. swing the lead: Idioms

Slang (1 matching dictionary)
  1. swing the lead: English slang and colloquialisms used in the United Kingdom

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Definitions from Wiktionary (swing the lead)

▸ verb:  (intransitive) To avoid work, especially by pretending to be ill; to shirk, to malinger.

Similar:
skive off, wriggle out of, play hooky, shift, doss around, shuffle, get away with, play the fool, pull a sickie, swither, more...

Opposite:
work hard, exert oneself, labor, toil, strive

▸ Words similar to swing the lead

▸ Usage examples for swing the lead

▸ Idioms related to swing the lead

▸ Wikipedia articles (New!)

▸ Words that often appear near swing the lead

▸ Rhymes of swing the lead

▸ Invented words related to swing the lead

Similar:
skive off, wriggle out of, play hooky, shift, doss around, shuffle, get away with, play the fool, pull a sickie, swither, more...

Opposite:
work hard, exert oneself, labor, toil, strive



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