v. t. - 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.
v. t. - To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots;
-- said of weeds.
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.