swingle

¹

[swing-guhl]

noun

1. a swipple.

2. a wooden instrument shaped like a large knife, for beating flax or hemp and scraping from it the woody or coarse portions.

verb (used with object)

swingled, swingling 

1. to clean (flax or hemp) by beating and scraping with a swingle.

swingle

²

[swing-guhl]

noun

Slang.

1. a single person who is highly active socially and sexually; an unmarried person who swings.

swingle

/ ˈswɪŋɡəl /

noun

1. a flat-bladed wooden instrument used for beating and scraping flax or hemp to remove coarse matter from it

verb

1. (tr) to use a swingle on

Other Word Forms

• unswingled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swingle¹

1275–1325; Middle English swingel, Old English swingell rod (cognate with Middle Dutch swinghel ), equivalent to swing- ( swing ¹ ) + -el instrumental suffix ( -le )

Origin of swingle²

1965–70, blend of swing ¹ (in the slang sense “to engage freely and often in sexual activity”) and single

Word History and Origins

Origin of swingle¹

Old English swingel stroke; related to Middle High German swüngel, Middle Dutch swinghel

Example Sentences

The prosecutor handling the case, H. Morley Swingle, recognized how important Murphey was going to be and sought clarification about Murphey’s status from a top Gardner official.

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He fell into “some lesser category,” Swingle wrote in the email.

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Still, Murphey refused to testify for Swingle.

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In October 2019, Swingle made a deal with Robinson: He dropped the murder case, and Robinson pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.

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Swingle said Murphey’s refusal to cooperate was not the only factor influencing his decision to accept a plea deal in the Robinson case.

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