Swingle \Swin"gle\, v. i. [Freq. of swing.]

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

--Johnson.

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

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Swingle \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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Swingle \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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)