Word Meaning

swingle definition and meaning

v. i. To dangle; to wave hanging.
v. i. To swing for pleasure.
v. t. 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.
v. t. To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; -- said of weeds.
n. 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.