Dad was First Sergeant of his Squadron and I heard this phrase a lot growing up.
I’m fairly sure it’s military in origin but haven’t found a cite. It’s normally used to convey a sense of urgency. Like a large transport truck stuck in the mud. “I want every swinging dick out here pushing! Now!” Meaning* everybody* get out and push.
Obviously this was before the troops went coed. Winking Labia doesn’t have quite the colorful ring to it as swinging dick.
I checked Word Detective. No luck. Anyone else have the Google skills to find a cite? Origins and when it became a popular phrase?
The first time I heard of the phrase was in the boom of the mid-1980’s; I think it was one of the Michael Lewis books about Wall Street where the rich and successful brokers and deal makers, were referred to as “Big Swinging Dicks”; i.e. they felt they were self-important and had something to be proud of.
It simply means that every guy on the squad/team needs to pitch in. It’s normally used in male-only contexts, like (formerly) the military, construction, etc.
It’s merely a colorful example of synecdoche, in which the part (swinging dick) stands for the whole (male). The “swinging” part probably suggests that the guys need to be on the run.
I heard it mentioned in No Country for Old Men (the movie). I wasn’t around when that phrase was in common use.
In the movie, Moss gives the clerk at the hotel a bit of money to let him know if “any swingin’ dick” comes through the hotel (this was in the middle of the night). I took it to mean any man who was alone or with another man or two. Women, or men accompanying women (since their dick wouldn’t be swingin, if you know what i mean) were not what Moss was looking for.
I first heard the phrase in Oliver Stone’s ‘Platoon’ (I know it predates that), and my god, it was the funniest thing I’d heard in a long time. It was kind of serious scene but how I laughed…
I was thinking about what that means and how I am suitable for the military because I hear it is a ride. Then I got to wondering about narcissistic abuse and hazing and etc, I kind of think it is there as a punishment, or confidence building, like sea biscuit without ever being a champ. Maybe they actually try to bring your inflated ego down. They advertise being a manly man and then punish manly men machos? And they just get rid of people interested in combat at all? Are they crash-testing?
Winking Labia doesn’t have quite the colorful ring to it as swinging dick. 