Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SWAD'DLE, v.t. [Sax. swathe, swethel, a border, fringe or band; beswethan, to swathe; D. zwaad, G. schwaden, a swath.]

1. To swathe; to bind, as with a bandage; to bind tight with clothes; used generally of infants; as, to swaddle a child. They swaddled me in my night-gown. – Addison.
2. To beat; to cudgel. [Low and not in use.] – Hudibras.