- Flail (about) - To separate wheat, etc. - To beat out grain from, as straw or husks; to beat the
straw or husk of (grain) with a flail; to beat off, as the kernels of
grain; as, to thrash wheat, rye, or oats; to thrash over the old straw. - To beat soundly, as with a stick or whip; to drub. - To practice thrashing grain or the like; to perform the
business of beating grain from straw; as, a man who thrashes well. - Hence, to labor; to toil; also, to move violently. - Same as Thrash.