swingle

1 of 2

noun

swin·​gle

ˈswiŋgəl

plural -s

1

: a wooden instrument like a large knife that is about two feet long, has one thin edge, and is used for beating and cleaning flax : scutcher

2

a

: the swiple of a flail

b

: a cudgel resembling a flail

3

: a lever resembling a spoke and used for turning the barrel in wire drawing or the roller of a plate press

swingle

2 of 2

transitive verb

"

swingled; swingled; swingling

-g(ə)liŋ

; swingles

: to clean by beating with a swingle : separate away the coarse and woody parts of : scutch

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English swingel, swengil, from Middle Dutch swinghel, swenghel instrument for beating flax, swipe; akin to Old English swingell whip, rod, blow, swingan to strike, beat

Transitive verb

Middle English swinglen, from Middle Dutch swinghelen, from swinghel swingle

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