Saingle

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. An old term for a sling or looped strap used to hold, support or hurl something
2. Archaic word meaning a strap or sling, sometimes used to carry or hoist a load
3. A rare, dated term for a band of leather or cord that holds or swings an object

Etymology: "Saingle" is an uncommon spelling of a Middle English word for a strap or sling, and it likely comes from Old French "sangle," meaning a girdle or belt. That French word descends from Latin "cingula," a little belt, which is built on "cingere," "to gird." The same root gives English "cincture" and "succinct," which once meant tightly girded up. A sangle was a band of leather or cord, and its use as a sling for hurling stones is a practical extension of that sense: a belt or strap that holds something and then releases it. The exact spelling "saingle" is less well documented than "sangle," so the link between the two forms is likely rather than certain.