The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Swingle \Swin"gle\, v. i. [Freq. of swing.]
   1. To dangle; to wave hanging. [Obs.] --Johnson.
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   2. To swing for pleasure. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
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   2. To beat off the tops of without pulling up the roots; --
      said of weeds. [Prov. Eng.] --Forby.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
   [1913 Webster]