3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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.] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}. 

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