Flag"ship` (?), n. (Naut.) The vessel which carries the commanding
officer of a fleet or squadron and flies his distinctive flag or
pennant.
Flag"staff` (?), n.; pl. -staves (&?;) or -staffs (&?;). A staff on
which a flag is hoisted.
Flag"stone` (?), n. A flat stone used in paving, or any rock which will
split into such stones. See Flag, a stone.
Flag"worm` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A worm or grub found among flags and sedge.
Flail (?), n. [L. flagellum whip, scourge, in LL., a threshing flail:
cf. OF. flael, flaiel, F. flÈau. See Flagellum.] 1. An instrument for
threshing or beating grain from the ear by hand, consisting of a wooden
staff or handle, at the end of which a stouter and shorter pole or
club, called a swipe, is so hung as to swing freely.
His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn.
Milton.
2. An ancient military weapon, like the common flail, often having the
striking part armed with rows of spikes, or loaded. Fairholt.
No citizen thought himself safe unless he carried under his coat a
small flail, loaded with lead, to brain the Popish assassins.
Macaulay.
Flail"y (?), a. Acting like a flail. [Obs.] Vicars.
Flain (?), obs. p. p. of Flay. Chaucer.
Flake (flk), n. [Cf. Icel. flaki, fleki, Dan. flage, D. vlaak.] 1. A
paling; a hurdle. [prov. Eng.]
2. A platform of hurdles, or small sticks made fast or interwoven,
supported by stanchions, for drying codfish and other things.
You shall also, after they be ripe, neither suffer them to have
straw nor fern under them, but lay them either upon some smooth
table, boards, or flakes of wands, and they will last the longer.
English Husbandman.
3. (Naut.) A small stage hung over a vessel's side, for workmen to
stand on in calking, etc.
Flake (flk), n. [Cf. Icel. flakna to flake off, split, flagna to flake
off, Sw. flaga flaw, flake, flake plate, Dan. flage snowflake. Cf. Flag
a flat stone.] 1. A loose filmy mass or a thin chiplike layer of
anything; a film; flock; lamina; layer; scale; as, a flake of snow,
tallow, or fish. "Lottle flakes of scurf." Addison.
Great flakes of ice encompassing our boat.
Evelyn.
2. A little particle of lighted or incandescent matter, darted from a
fire; a flash.
With flakes of ruddy fire.
Somerville.
3. (Bot.) A sort of carnation with only two colors in the flower, the
petals having large stripes.
Flake knife (ArchÊol.), a cutting instrument used by savage tribes,
made of a flake or chip of hard stone. Tylor. -- Flake stand, the
cooling tub or vessel of a still worm. Knight. -- Flake white. (Paint.)
(a) The purest white lead, in the form of flakes or scales. (b) The
trisnitrate of bismuth. Ure.
Flake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flaked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Flaking.] To
form into flakes. Pope.
Flake, v. i. To separate in flakes; to peel or scale off.
Flak"i*ness (?), n. The state of being flaky.
Flak"y (?), a. Consisting of flakes or of small, loose masses; lying,
or cleaving off, in flakes or layers; flakelike.
What showers of mortal hail, what flaky fires!
Watts.
A flaky weight of winter's purest snows.
Wordsworth.
Flam (flm), n. [Cf. AS. fle·m, flm, flight. √ 84 . Cf. Flimflam.]
A freak or whim; also, a falsehood; a lie; an illusory pretext;
deception; delusion. [Obs.]
A perpetual abuse and flam upon posterity.
South.
Flam, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flammed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Flamming.] To
deceive with a falsehood. [Obs.]
God is not to be flammed off with lies.
South.
Flam"beau (?); n.; pl. Flambeaux (#) or Flambeaus (#). [F., fr. OF.
flambe flame, for flamble, from L. flammula a little flame, dim. of
flamma flame. See Flame.] A flaming torch, esp. one made by combining
together a number of thick wicks invested with a quick-burning
substance (anciently, perhaps, wax; in modern times, pitch or the
like); hence, any torch.
Flam*boy"ant (?), a. [F.] (Arch.) Characterized by waving or flamelike
curves, as in the tracery of windows, etc.; -- said of the later (15th
century) French Gothic style.
Flam*boy"er (?), n. [F. flamboyer to be bright.] (Bot.) A name given in
the East and West Indies to certain trees with brilliant blossoms,
probably species of CÊsalpinia.
Flame (flm), n. [OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. flame, flambe, F.
flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr. flagrare to burn. See Flagrant,
and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo.] 1. A stream of burning vapor or gas,
emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.
2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing
imagination; passionate excitement or anger. "In a flame of zeal
severe." Milton.
Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow.
Pope.
Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial,
mingling flame with flame.
Pope.