Swin"gle (?), v. i. [Freq. of swing.]
1.
To dangle; to wave hanging.
[Obs.]
Johnson.
2.
To swing for pleasure.
[Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
© Webster 1913.
Swin"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swingled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Swingling (?).] [See Swingel.]
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.
© Webster 1913.
Swin"gle, 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.
© Webster 1913.