1. the free-swinging part of a flail used for threshing grain
Usage: archaic; agricultural

Examples

• The farmer replaced the worn leather hinge connecting the swiple to the flail handle.
• Traditional grain threshing required a steady rhythm when swinging the swiple.
• The wooden swiple struck the wheat stalks repeatedly to separate the grain.
• Museum displays often show antique flails with their original swiples intact.
• Before modern machinery, the swiple was an essential tool for harvest season.