swingle Meaning, Definition & Usage

Swin"gle intransitive verb

Etymology

Freq. of swing.

Definitions

1. To dangle; to wave hanging. Obs. Johnson.
2. To swing for pleasure. Obs. or Prov. Eng.

Swin"gle transitive verb

Etymology

See Swingel.

Wordforms

imperfect & past participle Swingled ; present participle & verbal noun Swingling

Definitions

1. To clean, as flax, by beating it with a swingle, so as to separate the coarse parts and the woody substance from it; to scutch.
2. To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; -- said of weeds. Prov. Eng. Forby.

Swin"gle noun

Definitions

1. A wooden instrument like a large knife, about two feet long, with one thin edge, used for beating and cleaning flax; a scutcher; -- called also swingling knife, swingling staff, and swingling wand.