1. a wooden bar to which the traces of a harness are attached, used to connect a horse or other draft animal to a plow, cart, or other implement
Usage: historical; agricultural

Examples

• The farmer attached the horse’s harness to the swingletree before plowing the field.
• The old wooden swingletree creaked as the oxen pulled the heavy cart.
• Museum visitors could see how the swingletree connected the draft animals to farm equipment.
• The blacksmith repaired the metal fittings on the swingletree.
• Traditional farming required knowledge of how to properly adjust the swingletree.
• The antique plow still had its original swingletree intact.