swatting

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of swat

noun

1. A motion or gesture that swats; a swat.

   “This […] evoked a new disorder — a tendency to sudden, tic-like jabbings and swattings in the air, as if she were fending off flies or mosquitoes.”

2. (US, slang)The action of making an illegitimate call to the police so as to have a SWAT team dispatched to a location.

   “Swatting started in the combative world of online gaming. It was a way to terrorize someone more famous, get even with a rival or retaliate against someone with different political views.”

   “Mr. Herring’s relatives said they wanted tougher laws against swatting and more training for police agencies on how to recognize potential fake calls.”