flail

flail   (flāl)    n.  A manual threshing device consisting of a long wooden handle or staff and a shorter, free-swinging stick attached to its end. v.   flailed, flail·ing, flails v.   tr. To beat or strike with or as if with a flail: flailed our horses with the reins. To wave or swing vigorously; thrash: flailed my arms to get their attention. To thresh using a flail. v.   intr. To move vigorously or erratically; thrash about: arms flailing helplessly in the water. To strike or lash out violently: boxers flailing at each other in the ring. To thresh grain. [Middle English, from Old English flegil and from Old French flaiel, both from Late Latin flagellum, threshing tool, from Latin flagrum, whip.]

Main Entry: flail
Pronunciation: 'flA(&)l
Function: adjective
: exhibiting abnormal mobility and loss of response to normal controls —used of bodyparts (as joints) damaged by paralysis, accident, or surgery <flail foot> flail at the shoulder>

flail (flāl)
v. flailed, flail·ing, flails

1. To move vigorously or erratically; thrash about.

2. To strike or lash out violently.

flail

ancient hand tool for threshing grain. It consists of two pieces of wood: the handstaff, or helve, and the beater, joined by a thong. The handstaff is a light rod several feet long, the beater a shorter piece. With a flail, one man could thresh 7 bushels of wheat, 8 of rye, 15 of barley, 18 of oats, or 20 of buckwheat in a day (one bushel equals about 35 litres). The flail remained the principal method of threshing until the mid-19th century, when mechanical threshers became widespread (see thresher).

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