swingley

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; -- said of weeds. [ Prov. Eng. ] Forby. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A swingletree. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The thrasher, or fox shark. See Thrasher. [ 1913 Webster ]