Forms: see SWINGLE and TREE. [f. SWINGLE sb. + TREE sb.]

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  1.  A board used in dressing flax or hemp: = swing-stock, swingle-stock (see SWING- 2 b, SWINGLE-). Also called swingletree block. Swingletree dagger = swing-knife (SWING- 2 b), SWINGLE sb. 1. Obs. or dial.

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c. 1462.  Wright’s Chaste Wife, 528. One of hem knockyd lyne, A-nothyr swyngelyd good and fyne By-fore the swyngyll tre.

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1615.  Markham, Eng. Housew., II. v. (1668), 133. Alter your Hemp and flax is brak’t, you shall then swingle it, which is upon a swingle tree blocke made of an half inch boord about four foot aboue ground, and set upon a strong foot or stock. Ibid., 134. A piece of Wood called the Swingletree dagger.

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1825.  Jamieson, Swingle-tree, the stock over which flax is scutched, Dumfr.; synon. Swingling-stock.

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  2.  In a plow, harrow, carriage, etc., a crossbar, pivoted at the middle, to which the traces are fastened, giving freedom of movement to the shoulders of the horse or other draught-animal.

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  An altered form SINGLE-TREE, due to association with double-tree (= the crosspiece to which the swingletree is attached), is common in U.S.

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1483.  Cath. Angl., 375/1. A Swyngilstre (A. Swyngyltre) of a harowe, protectorium.

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1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 15. The horses … must haue … a swyngletre to holde the tresses abrode, and a togewith to be bytwene the swyngletre and the harowe.

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1620.  Markham, Farew. Husb., II. xiii. (1668), 61. To the big end of this harrow, you shall fix a strong rope with a swingle-tree.

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1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. viii. 336/1. The Swingle Tree of a Coach Pole … fastned by … pinns to the Coach Pole, to the which Horses are fastned by their Harnish when there is more then two to draw the Coach.

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1765.  A. Dickson, Treat. Agric. (ed. 2), II. v. 200. It [sc. the bridle or muzzle of the plough] has notches by which the cleek of the swingle-tree may be fixed.

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a. 1817.  W. Muir, Poems (1818), 8. The very pettle, riest an’ seath,… The swingle-trees an’ a’ the graith.

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1844.  H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, I. 417. To the shackle is appended the swivel-hook, to which is attached the main draught-bar, or swingle-tree of the yoke.

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1859.  F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 104. One swingle-tree between the footboard and the splinter bar.

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1889.  Gretton, Memory’s Harkback, 115. His leaders … wrenched the swingletrees off the pole, and the uncoupled reins out of the coachman’s hands.

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  attrib.  1819.  T. Radcliff, Agric. E. & W. Flanders, x. § 2. 115. The extremity of the handle … strikes against, and rests upon the swingle-tree bar.

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1852.  Burn, Naval & Milit. Dict. (1863), Swingle-tree clasp, cramp, clip or socket.

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  3.  = SWINGLE sb. 2. dial.

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1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Swingle-tree,… in Scotland the striking end of a flail.

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1907.  T. M. Allison, in Country-Side, 16 Nov., 27/1. The handle [of the flail] … was held in the hands, and the beater, or ‘swingle-tree’ was swung round behind the head.

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