swinge

¹ American  

[swinj] / swɪndʒ /

verb (used with object)

British Dialect.

swinged, swingeing

1. to thrash; punish.

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swinge ² American  

[swinj] / swɪndʒ /

verb (used with object)

swinged, swingeing

1. to singe.

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swinge British  

/ swɪndʒ /

verb

1. archaic (tr) to beat, flog, or punish

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Other Word Forms

• swinger noun

Etymology

Origin of swinge¹

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

Origin of swinge²

First recorded in 1580–90; obscurely akin to singe

Example Sentences

Ye dry bisket rogue, I will so swinge you for this blasphemie— Have I found you out?

From The Little French Lawyer A Comedy by Beaumont, Francis

Sw imply a silent agitation, or a softer kind of lateral motion; as sway, swag, to sway, swagger, swerve, sweat, sweep, swill, swim, swing, swift, sweet, switch, swinge.

From A Grammar of the English Tongue by Johnson, Samuel

Alas, I know not whom to suspect, I wou'd I did; but if you cou'd discover him—I wou'd so swinge him— Sir Feeb.

From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume III by Summers, Montague

The young dogs, swinge them to the labour; Let wark an’ hunger mak’ them sober!

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

The young dogs, swinge them to the labour; Let wark an' hunger mak them sober!

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Burns, Robert