Swingle

Definition of Swingle

Swin´gle

v. i.	1.	To dangle; to wave hanging.
	2.	To swing for pleasure.
v. t.	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. [imp. & p. p. Swingled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Swingling .]
	2.	To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; - said of weeds.
n.	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.

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