Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [fleyl]
- /fleɪl/
- /fleɪl/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [fleyl]
- /fleɪl/
Definitions of flail word
- noun flail an instrument for threshing grain, consisting of a staff or handle to one end of which is attached a freely swinging stick or bar. 1
- noun flail a similar instrument used as a weapon of war. 1
- noun flail A threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it. 1
- intransitive verb flail thrash about 1
- noun flail grain harvest: implement 1
- verb flail If your arms or legs flail or if you flail them about, they wave about in an energetic but uncontrolled way. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of flail
First appearance:
before 1100 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1100; Middle English fleil (noun), Old English flighel (probably misspelling of *flegil), cognate with Dutch vlegel, German Flegel < West Germanic *flagil- < Late Latin flagellum flail, Latin: whip, scourge. See flagellum
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Flail
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
flail popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 87% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
flail usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for flail
verb flail
- thrash — to beat soundly in punishment; flog.
- smash — to break to pieces with violence and often with a crashing sound, as by striking, letting fall, or dashing against something; shatter: He smashed the vase against the wall.
- smack — Arthur, 1863–1935, British statesman and labor leader: Nobel Peace Prize 1934.
- bash — A bash is a party or celebration, especially a large one held by an official organization or attended by famous people.
- knock — to strike a sounding blow with the fist, knuckles, or anything hard, especially on a door, window, or the like, as in seeking admittance, calling attention, or giving a signal: to knock on the door before entering.
noun flail
- flap — to swing or sway back and forth loosely, especially with noise: A loose shutter flapped outside the window.
Antonyms for flail
verb flail
- compliment — A compliment is a polite remark that you say to someone to show that you like their appearance, appreciate their qualities, or approve of what they have done.
- praise — the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
Top questions with flail
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