Flail

Definitions

1. A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle (handstock) with a shorter stick (swipple or swingle) attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
2. A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.
3. Part of a rotating device, often used for cutting vegetation.
   often, plural

Equivalents

Examples

“When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That ten day-labourers could not end⟳;”

“Huge fragments vaulted like⟳ rebounding hail, Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail”

“On him alone the curse of Cain Fell, like⟳ a flail on the garnered grain, And struck him to the earth!”

“If the farmer must use⟳ the spade because he has not capital enough for a plough, the sickle instead of the reaping machine, the flail instead of the thresher...”

“The carriage washing plant⟳ uses four pairs of rotating rag flails and will be capable of dealing with the whole of the diesel units as well as steam stock⟳ used for main-line trains.”

CEFR level