swinge

[swinj]

verb (used with object), swinged, swinge·ing. British Dialect.

to thrash; punish.

Origin of swinge

1250–1300; Middle English swengen to shake, smite, Old English swengan, causative of swingan to swing, or denominative derivative of Old English sweng a blow

Related formsswing·er

[swin-jer] /ˈswɪn dʒər/, noun

swinge

[swinj]

verb (used with object), swinged, swinge·ing.

to singe.

Origin of swinge

First recorded in 1580–90; obscurely akin to singe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for swinge

Historical Examples of swinge

Wherby it appereth that some sort of youth will oft haue his swinge, although it be in a halter.
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Raphaell Holinshed

British Dictionary definitions for swinge

swinge

verb swinges, swingeing, swinging or swinged

(tr) archaic to beat, flog, or punish

Word Origin for swinge

Old English swengan; related to Old Frisian swenga to drench, Gothic afswaggwjan to cause to sway; see swing

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012