/ fleɪl; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
flail (sth) (about / around) to move around without control; to move your arms and legs around without control :
[ v ]
The boys flailed around on the floor.
He was running along, his arms flailing wildly.
[also vn ]
2.
[ vn ] to hit sb/sth very hard, especially with a stick
■ noun
a tool that has a long handle with a stick swinging from it, used especially in the past to separate grains of wheat from their dry outer covering, by beating the wheat
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English , of West Germanic origin, based on Latin flagellum whip; probably influenced in Middle English by Old French flaiel or Dutch vlegel .