swingle

 
Pronunciation: /ˈswɪŋg(ə)l/

noun

  • 1a wooden tool for beating flax and removing the woody parts from it.
  • 2the swinging part of a flail.

verb

[with object]
  • beat (flax) with a swingle: I found a group of bare-armed women under the trees swingling flax

Origin:

Middle English: from Middle Dutch swinghel, from the base of the verb swing