SWINGLE

To dangle; to wave hanging. [Obs.] Johnson.

To swing for pleasure. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

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.

To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; -- said of weeds. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.

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.