Swingle

Part of speech: noun (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.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

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

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

Part of speech: verb (v.)

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.