1768 R. Dossie I. iii. iii. 86 They [sc. the mechanical flails] are prevented from bruising the corn more than would happen from the most expert use of the hand-flail.
1869 28 389 Did you ever thrash your grain crop with the old hand flail?
2011 E. Wohl in S. Campbell ii. 59 They beat the harvested stalks of grain with hand flails.