English Explanatory Dictionary

flay

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening).
  2. To frighten; scare; terrify.
  3. To be fear-stricken.
noun
  1. A fright; a scare.
  2. Fear; a source of fear; a formidable matter; a fearsome or repellent-looking individual.
verb
  1. To strip the skin off; to skin.
  2. To lash or whip.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

flā /fleɪ/ flē /fliː/ En-us-flay.ogg

Word forms

flay flays flaying flayed fla fley flee fly fleg flae flea flaid flew flain

Etymology

From Middle English flayen, flaien, fleien, from Old English *flīeġan ("to cause to fly, put to flight, frighten"; found only in compounds: āflīeġan), from Proto-Germanic *flaugijaną (“to let fly, cause to fly”), causative of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to fly”).

Synonyms

fleece flense skin

Derived words

flaying flaysome beflay flail flayer flay someone alive unflayed
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