1
- a threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it连枷。
1.1
- a similar device used as a weapon or for flogging连枷状武器; 鞭笞用的连枷状器具。
1.2
- a machine having a similar action, used for threshing or slashing连枷式脱粒机（或切割机）：
as modifier a flail hedge trimmer.连枷式绿篱修剪机。
1
- wave or swing or cause to wave or swing wildly（使）大幅波动（或摇摆）：
no obj. his arms were flailing helplessly他的双臂无助地狂舞着
with obj. he flailed his arms and drove her away.他猛挥着双臂撵走了她。
1.1
- no obj. flounder; struggle uselessly踉跄; 徒劳地挣扎：
I was flailing about in the water
我在水中徒劳地四下挣扎
he flailed around on the snow.
他踉踉跄跄地在雪地行走。
2
- with obj. beat; flog打, 揍; 鞭笞, 抽打：
he escorted them, flailing their shoulders with his cane.
他用藤条抽打他们的肩膀, 押着他们向前走去。
2.1
- Brit. cut (vegetation) with a flail〈英〉用连枷式切割机修剪（草木）：
the modern practice of flailing hedges every year with mechanical cutters.
每年用机械切割机修剪绿篱的现代做法。
词源
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.