Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sway \Sway\, n.
   1. The act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep
      of a weapon.

            With huge two-handed sway brandished aloft.
                                                  --Milton.

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

   3. Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.

            Expert When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway
            Of battle.                            --Milton.

   4. Rule; dominion; control. --Cowper.

            When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, The
            post of honor is a private station.   --Addison.

   5. A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
      [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.

   Syn: Rule; dominion; power; empire; control; influence;
        direction; preponderance; ascendency.

Sway \Sway\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Swayed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Swaying}.] [OE. sweyen, Icel. sveigja, akin to E. swing; cf.
   D. zwaaijen to wield, swing. See {Swing}, and cf. {Swag}, v.
   i.]
   1. 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.              --Spenser.

   2. 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. --Shak.

            She could not sway her house.         --Shak.

            This was the race To sway the world, and land and
            sea subdue.                           --Dryden.

   3. 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 made On purpose false,
            and to be swayed.                     --Hudibras.

            Let not temporal and little advantages sway you
            against a more durable interest.      --Tillotson.

   4. (Naut.) To hoist; as, to sway up the yards.

   Syn: To bias; rule; govern; direct; influence; swing; move;
        wave; wield.

Sway \Sway\, v. i.
   1. To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean;
      to incline.

            The balance sways on our part.        --Bacon.

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

   3. To have weight or influence.

            The example of sundry churches . . . doth sway much.
                                                  --Hooker.

   4. To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

            Hadst thou swayed as kings should do. --Shak.

Source : WordNet®

sway
     n 1: controlling influence
     2: pitching dangerously to one side [syn: {rock}, {careen}, {tilt}]
     v 1: move back and forth  or sideways; "the ship was rocking";
          "the tall building swayed"; "She rocked back and forth
          on her feet" [syn: {rock}, {shake}]
     2: move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner; "He swung
        back" [syn: {swing}]
     3: win approval or support for; "Carry all before one"; "His
        speech did not sway the voters" [syn: {carry}, {persuade}]
     4: cause to move back and forth; "rock the cradle"; "rock the
        baby"; "the wind swayed the trees gently" [syn: {rock}]