519
enemy aircraft from the ground 2 infml severe disapproval or
opposition: *Their proposal to increase the price of school
dinners has run into/come in for a lot of flak.*
**flake**¹ n [(off)] 1 (often in comb.) a light leaf-like little bit (of
something soft): *soap flakes* | *flakes of snow* 2 a thin flat
broken-off piece (of something hard): *A flake of bone had
lodged itself in his knee.*
**flake**² v [(OFF)] to fall off in flakes: *The paint's flaking (off).*
**flake out** phr v [I] infml 1 to fall asleep or become uncon-
scious because of great tiredness 2 AmE to become slightly mad
**flake**³ n AmE slang a person whose behaviour is strange or
slightly mad, or who behaves in a way one cannot trust: *I
wouldn't depend on a ride from Kevin; he's a real flake.*
**Flake** /fleɪk/ also **Cadbury's Flake** trademark a type of
chocolate bar made by the Cadbury company which breaks
into FLAKES (=small thin pieces) when you bite it
**'flak jacket** n a JACKET of a heavy material with metal bands
inside it to protect the wearer from FLAK. They are worn
especially by soldiers who are in danger of being hit by flak,
or by people who think them fashionable.
**flak·y** /'fleɪki/ adj 1 made up of flakes or tending to break
into flakes 2 AmE slang behaving irresponsibly and foolishly,
and in a way one cannot trust: *My brother's getting so flaky!*
| *He locked himself out of the house yesterday.* → see FLAKE³
—**iness** n [U]
**'flaky 'pastry** n [U] a rich PASTRY made up of many very
thin LAYERS
**flam·bé** /'flɒmbeɪ||flɑːm'beɪ/ also **flam·béd**
/'flɒmbeɪd||flɑːm'beɪd/ adj Fr (of food) with alcohol such as
BRANDY poured over it, and lit to give a flame
**flam·boy·ant** /flæm'bɔɪənt/ adj 1 brightly coloured and
noticeable: *a flamboyant orange shirt* 2 (of a person or their
behaviour) showy and confident: *With a flamboyant gesture
he threw off the covering to reveal the new statue.* —**ly** adv
—**ance** n [U]
**flame**¹ /fleɪm/ n [C;U] (a area of) red or yellow burning gas
seen when something is on fire: *The candle flame flickered
and went out/died.* | *The dry sticks burst into flames.* | *The
whole city was in flames.* (=burning) | *It's very dangerous to
hold a naked flame* (=a flame which is not covered by glass
etc) *anywhere near petrol.* → see also OLD FLAME
**flame**² v [I] 1 to be brightly filled with the colours of flame:
*The evening sky flamed with red and orange.* | *Her cheeks
flamed (red).* 2 to break out with sudden violence: *His anger
flamed up.* | *He was flaming with anger.* | *I was in a flaming
temper.* | *He had a flaming row with his wife.* → see also
FLAMING
**fla·men·co** /flə'meŋkəʊ/ n [U] a form of very fast and
exciting Spanish dance and music: *We went to see some
flamenco dancing last night.*
**flame-proof, flame proof** /'fleɪmpruf/ also **'flame
re,sistant** n made of a substance that does not burn easily
**'flame-,thrower** n a gun-like instrument that throws out
flames or burning liquid under pressure, used as a weapon
or in clearing wild land
**flam·ing** /'fleɪmɪŋ/ adj [A] infml (used for adding force to an
expression): *You flaming idiot!*
**fla·min·go** /flə'mɪŋgəʊ/ n pl. -gos or -goes a tall tropical
water bird with long thin legs, pink and red feathers, and a
broad beak that curves downwards
**flam·ma·ble** /'flæməbəl/ adj AmE or tech for INFLAMMABLE
→ opposite NONFLAMMABLE
**flan** /flæn/ n a round open case of pastry or cake, with a
filling of fruit, cheese etc → see PIE (USAGE)
**Flan·ders** /'flɑːndəz||'flændərz/ a flat area consisting of
what is now part of Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern
France. It is known especially for the many battles that were
fought there in World War I.
**Flanders, Michael** (1922–75) a British entertainer and song-
writer who wrote the words for the many funny songs that
he and Donald Swann performed together as Flanders and
Swann
**Flanders, Moll** → see MOLL FLANDERS
**flange** /flændʒ/ n the flat edge that stands out from the main
surface of an object such as a railway wheel, to keep it in
position
**flank**¹ /flæŋk/ n 1 the side of a person or animal, between the
RIBS and the HIP 2 the side of an army at war: *The enemy
attacked us on the left flank.*
**flank**² v [T often pass.] to be on both sides of somebody or
something; BORDER: *The road was flanked with/by tall trees.*
**flan·nel**¹ /'flænl/ n 1 [U] a smooth loosely woven woollen or
cotton cloth with a slightly furry surface: *grey flannel
trousers* | *flannel sheets* → see also FLANNELS 2 [C] especially
BrE || washcloth AmE a piece of cloth used for washing
oneself 3 [U] infml, especially BrE meaningless though attractive
words used to avoid giving a direct answer, to deceive etc:
*That's just a lot of flannel – tell me the truth!*
**flannel**² v -ll- BrE || - AmE [T] infml, especially BrE to deceive,
FLATTER etc by using FLANNEL
**flan·nel·ette** BrE || also **flannelet** AmE /ˌflænə'let/ n [U]
cotton cloth with a furry surface that looks like flannel:
*flannelette sheets*
**flan·nels** /'flænlz/ n [P] especially BrE men's flannel trousers,
especially as worn for summer games like cricket → see PAIR
(USAGE)
**flap**¹ /flæp/ n 1 [C] a wide flat thin part of anything that
hangs down, especially so as to cover an opening: *He wore a
cap with flaps to cover his ears.* | *We crept under the flap of the
tent.* | *Stick down the flap of the envelope.* → see picture at
AIRCRAFT 2 [S] the sound of flapping: *the slow flap of the
sails* 3 [S] infml a state of excited anxiety: *Don't get in a flap –
we'll soon fix it!* → see also UNFLAPPABLE
**flap**² v -pp- 1 [I;T] to wave (something large and soft) or
move slowly up and down or backwards and forwards,
usually making a noise: *The bird flapped its wings.* | *The sails
flapped in the wind.* 2 [+adv/prep] (of a usually large bird) to
fly: *The eagle flapped across the sky.* 3 [I] BrE infml to be in a
state of excited anxiety: *There's no need to flap.*
**flap·jack** /'flæpdʒæk/ n 1 AmE a PANCAKE cooked in a pan
on top of the fire 2 BrE || granola bar AmE a mixture of OATS
and other things baked into a sweet cake
**flap·per** /'flæpə/ n a fash-
ionable woman in the 1920s
who wore short dresses and
had modern ideas
**flare**¹ /fleə/ v 1 [(UP)] to
burn brightly, but with an
unsteady flame or for a short
time: *A match flared (up) in
the darkness.* 2 [I;T] to
(cause to) open outwards,
especially to widen gradu-
ally towards the bottom: *Her
nostrils flared with anger.* |
*flared trousers*
**flare up** BrE || also **flare out**
AmE phr v [I] to show sudden
increased anger, activity, or
violence: *Street-fighting has
flared up again in the big
cities.* | *His anger flared out
momentarily before he regained self-control.* —'**flare-up** n
**flare**² n 1 [S] a flaring light: *There was a sudden flare as she
lit the gas.* 2 [C] (something that provides) a bright light out
of doors, often used as a signal: *After the ship sank the
survivors fired off flares in the hope someone would see
them.* 3 [C] a widening towards one end: *trousers with wide
flares*
**'flare path** n a lit-up path for aircraft to land on
**flares** /fleəz||flerz/ n [P] trousers that become wider below
the knee. Flares were fashionable especially in the 1960s and
'70s and are now connected in people's minds with this
period. → see Feature on page A8
**flash**¹ /flæʃ/ v 1 [I] (of a light) to appear as a sudden very
bright flame or flare: *The lightning flashed.* | *We watched the
flashing lights of the cars.* | (fig.) *Her eyes flashed with
anger.* 2 [T[at]] to make a flash with; shine for a moment:
*Why is that driver flashing his lights (at me)?* | (fig.) *She flashed
a shy smile at him.* | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] *She flashed him a shy*