flail
noun
[ fleɪl ]
• a threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.
flail
verb
• wave or swing wildly.
• "his arms flailed as he sought to maintain his balance"
Similar:
wave,
swing,
thrash about,
flap about,
beat about,
windmill,
move erratically,
• beat or flog (someone).
• "he escorted them, flailing their shoulders with his cane"
Similar:
thrash,
beat,
strike,
batter,
drub,
flog,
whip,
lash,
scourge,
flay,
flagellate,
strap,
switch,
tan,
cane,
tan/whip someone's hide,
give someone a hiding,
clout,
welt,
belabour,
wallop,
whack,
lam,
give someone a (good) hiding,
larrup,
Origin:
Old English, of West Germanic origin, based on Latin flagellum ‘whip’ (see flagellum); probably influenced in Middle English by Old French flaiel or Dutch vlegel .
