\Swin"gle\, v. i. [Freq. of swing.]
1. To dangle; to wave hanging. [Obs.] --Johnson.
2. To swing for pleasure. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

\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.

\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}.