fiawn 
cake, = MLG. rlnde = OD. rlade, D. fla, a cus- 
tard ; prob. lit. a flat cake ; cf . Or. jrilarrf, flat, 
TTAdtiavuv, a bread-pan, cake-pan, etc., but not 
connected with /tot 1 : see flat 1 , plat.'] A sort 
of flat custard or pie. 
Fltm-nes, Custards, Egge-pies. 
Cotgrcm. 
Fall to your cheese-cakes, curds, and clouted cream, 
Your fools, your flau*n$. B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, i. 2. 
flaw-piece (fla'pes), . A slab from the out- 
side of a log. E. H. Knight. 
flawter (fla'ter), v. t. A variant of flaughter 2 . 
flawy 1 (fla'i), a. [(flaw 1 + -#!.] Having flaws 
or cracks ; broken ; defective ; faulty. 
flawy 2 (fla'i), a. [< flaw 2 + -yl.] Subject to 
sudden flaws or puffs of wind. 
flax (flaks), . [< ME. flax, flex, < AS. fleax, 
rarely flex = OFries. flax = D. vlas = MLG. i-las, 
LG. flas = OHG. flahs, MHG. vlahs, G. flacks, 
flax ; perhaps connected with Goth, flahta, a 
plaiting of the hair, < *flaihtan, an unrecorded 
form, = OHG. flehtan, MHG. vlehten, G. flechten 
= Icel. fletta Dan. flette = Sw. fldta, weave, 
plait, akin to L. plicare, fold, > ult. E. plait, 
pleat, and ply, q. v.] 1. (a) The common name 
for plants of the genus Linum and for the fiber 
obtained from the stems of L. usitatissimum. 
This species, of unknown origin, 
has been in cultivation from a very 
remote period, and yields the prin- 
cipal vegetable fiber in popular 
use over the larger part of the old 
world. The plant is an annual, with 
slender stems about two feet tall, 
which by various processes are freed 
from all useless matter, leaving the 
elongated bast-cells in the form 
of a soft, silky fiber. This fiber is 
used in the manufacture of linen 
thread and cloth, cambric, lawn, 
lace, etc. The principal sources of 
supply are Russia, Germany, the 
Netherlands, and Ireland. The 
flowers are blue. The seeds, known 
as linseed iuiaflaxseed, are very mu- 
cilaginous, and are used on that ac- 
count in medicine. They also yield Flax (Linurn usita- 
an oil, which is extensively used by tissimum), with section 
painters; and the residue, called of seed-vessel. 
linseed-cake, has much value as feed 
for cattle. The dwarf, fairy, mountain, or purging flax of 
England is L. catharticum ; and the wild flax of the United 
States, L. Virginuum and L. perenne. 
Summen sowe it thicke in lene lande, 
And subtile flax rnongh thereon wol stande. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 187. 
Of which line they make their flaxe, and with their flaxe 
fine Linnen. Coryat, Crudities, I. 132. 
And the flax and the barley was smitten : for the barley 
was in the ear, and the ./tec was boiled. Ex. ix. 31. 
Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax. 
Longfellow, Wreck of the Hesperus. 
(6) One of several plants of other genera, mostly 
resembling common flax, as the false or white 
flax (Camelina sativa), mountain flax (Polygala 
Senega), toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), New Zea- 
land &a,x(Phormium tenax), which yields a strong 
fiber, and spurge-flax (Daphne Gnidium). 
Here and there the banks are clothed with a handsome 
green flag, the precious New Zealand flax [Phormimn te- 
nax], whose tall, red, honey-laden blossoms, growing on a 
stem fully ten feet high, offer special attractions to the 
bees. The Century, XXVII. 920. 
2. The whitethroat, Sylvia cinerea : with refer- 
ence to the material composing its nest. [Lo- 
cal, Eng.] Flax canvas. () Canvas made wholly or 
chiefly of flax, used in needlework. It is made of many 
degrees of fineness, some of the grades having other mate- 
rials than linen in their composition. (&) Canvas linen, 
made from flax, used for sailmaking. Fossil flax. See 
fossil. Long flax, flax to be spun in its natural length 
without cutting. E. II. Knight. 
flax (flaks), v. [<.flax, n., in allusion to the beat- 
ing of flax. Cf. flaxen 2 .'} I. trans. To beat. 
To spit cotton is, I think, American, and also, perhaps, 
to flax for to beat. Lowell, Biglow Papers, Int. 
II. intrans. To move quickly; "knock" about: 
as, to flax round (to move about in a lively or 
energetic manner). [New Eng. in both uses.] 
flax-bird (flaks'berd), n. A book-name of the 
scarlet tanagor, I'iranga rubra. 
flax-brake (flaks'brak), n. Same as brake 3 , 1. 
flax-bush (flaks'bush), n. The New Zealand 
flax, Pliormium tenax. See Phormium. 
flax-comb (flaks'kom), n. A hatchel or heckle. 
flax-cotton (flaks'kof'n), n. Cottonized flax. 
See cottonize. 
flax-dresser (flaks'dres"er), . One who pre- 
pares flax for the spinner by breaking and 
scutching it. 
flax-dressing (flaks'dres"iug), n. The act, pro- 
cess, or trade of breaking and scutching flax. 
flaxedt (flak'sed), a. [< flax + -ed 1 .] Resem- 
bling flax ; flaxen. 
2261 
She as the learned'st maide was chose by them 
(Her flaxed hair crown'd with an anadrm). 
W. Bruirne, Britannia's Pastorals, i. 4. 
flaxen 1 (flak'sn), a. [ME. "flaxen, (not found), 
< AS. 'fleaxen (Somner : not verified) (= MLG. 
vlessen = G. flachnen), < fleax, flax, + -en, -en 2 .] 
1. Of flax; made of flax: as, flaxen thread. 
A double wealth ; more rich than Belgium's boast, 
Who tends the culture of the flaxen reed. 
Dyer, Fleece, iii. 
2. Resembling flax in color, as hair ; fair and 
flowing like flax. 
His beard as white as snow, 
All flaxen was his poll. Shak., Hamlet, iv. 5. 
Stroke his polish'd cheek of purest red, 
And lay thine hand upon his flaxen head. 
Camper, Tirocinium, 1. 848. 
Adown the shoulders of the heavenly fair 
In easy ringlets flowed her flaxen hair. 
Fau'kes, tr. of Apollonius, Argonautics, iii. 
3. Pertaining to flax. 
Dundee had long been the great centre of the flaxen 
manufactures. Ure, Diet., III. 120. 
flaxen 2 (flak'sn), v. t. [< flax + -en*. Cf. flax, 
c.] To beat or thrash. [Prov. Eng.] 
flax-mill (flaks'mil), n. A mill or factory where 
flax is spun ; a mill for the manufacture of linen 
goods. 
flax-puller (flaks'pul"er), n. A horse-power ma- 
chine for gathering flax-plants from the field. 
flaxseed (flaks'sed), n. and a. I. n. 1. The 
seed of flax ; linseed. 
I'll hie me 
To Lincolnshire, 
To sow hemp-seed and flax-seed, 
And hang them all there. 
Lord Delaware (Child's Ballads, VII. 314). 
2. The Radiola Millegraua, a European plant 
allied to the common flax, and having similar 
seed-pods. (See water-flaxseed.) 
II. a. Resembling a flaxseed : an epithet spe- 
cifically applied to the pupa stage of some in- 
sects. 
Larvse of Hessian fly assume what is known as the flax- 
seed stage. Stand. Nat. Hist., II. 410. 
Flaxseed ore. Same as dyestone ore. See dyestone. 
flaxweed (flaks' wed), n. The toadflax, Linaria 
vulgaris. 
flax-wench (flaks'wench), n. A woman who 
spins flax; hence, a common woman. 
As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to 
Before her troth-plight. Shak., W. T., i. 2. 
flaxy (flak'si), a. [< flax + -yi.] Like flax; of 
a light color; fair. 
The four colours . . . signify these four virtues. The 
flaxy, having whiteness, appertains to temperance. 
Sir M. Sandys, Essays, p. 16. 
flay 1 (fla), i'. t. [Early mod. E. flea, fley, dial. 
flaw, flaugli; < ME. fleen, flean, flen, flan (and flo, 
after Scand.) (pret. flout, flouh, pi. flogen, pp. 
flayn, flawyn, vlage), < AS. "flean (pret. "flog, 
pp. *flagen; only in comp. pp. be-flagen), orig. 
"flahan = MD. vlaeghen, vlaeden, vlaen = Icel. 
fla (pret. flo, pp. fleginn) = Sw. fi& Dan. 
flaae, flay, skin, strip. To this root belong 
flaw 1 , floe, flag 11 , and flake 1 : see these words.] 
1. To skin; strip off the skin of: as, to flay 
an ox. 
But, know you (varlets) whom you dally with? 
My little finger over-balanceth 
My Father's loigns : he did but rub you light, 
I'l flay your backs. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Schisme. 
A prince is the pastor of the people. Hee ought to sheere, 
not to flea his sheepe ; to take their fleeces, not their fels. 
B. Jonson, Discoveries. 
Habits are soon assum'd ; but when we strive 
To strip them off, 'tis being flay'd alive. 
Cowper, Progress of Error, 1. 583. 
2f. To strip off, in a general sense. 
I shall come vpon the with all myn hoste, and make thy 
beerde be flayn, and drawe from thy chyn bonstously, and 
that thou shalt knowe verily. Merlin(E. E. T. S.), iii. 620. 
flay 2 (fla), v. ; pret. and pp. flayed, flaid, ppr. flay- 
ing. [E. dial, also fla (Yorkshire), So. flay, fley, 
flee, fly, and with orig. guttural fleg, frighten ; 
< ME. flayen, flaien, earlier fleien, frighten, 
cause to flee affrighted, < AS. "flegan, *flygan, 
only in comp. a-fliga'n, cause to flee, put to 
flight, = OHG. ar-flaugjan, frighten, cause to 
flee, = Goth, us-flaugjan, lit. cause to fly (in the 
phrase usflaugiths winda, blown about by the 
wind), caus. of "fliugan = AS. flcdgan, E. fly 1 . 
The word is thus a deriv. of fly 1 , though it has 
been confused with flee 1 : see fly 1 and ./Zee 1 .] 
I. trang. 1. To cause to fly; put to flight. 
It's lang since sleeping was fle.y'd frae me. 
Kinmont Willie (Child's Ballads, VI. 65). 
flea 
2. To frighten. 
Thou wille be flat/edc for a flye that one fon] thy flesche 
lyghttes ! Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2441. 
Thise grete wordes shalle not flay me. 
'l':nr,, ,-/,-!/ Mi/sterit'S, p. 30. 
It spak right howe " My name is Death, 
But be n& fley'd." 
Burns, Death and Dr. Hornbook. 
II. intrans. To be fear-struck. 
[Prov. Eng. and Scotch in all uses.] 
flay 2 (fla), n. t<flay*,v.-\ 1. Fright; fear. 2. 
[Only fleg; prob. orig. a sudden kick, as of a 
frightened horse.] A kick; a random blow; a 
fit of ill humor. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] 
To take flay, to take fright. 
flayer (fla'er). , [< ME. flear (Prompt. Parv. ) ; 
< flay 1 + -er 1 .] One who flays. 
Euery fox must yeeld his owne skin and haires to the 
flayer. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 181. 
flayflint (fla'flint), n. [^flay 1 + obj. flint; after 
skinflint, q. v.] A skinflint; a miser. [Rare.] 
I was at school a college in the South ; 
There lived a flayflint near ; we stole his fruit, 
His hens, his eggs. Tennyson, Walking to the Mail. 
flaying (fla'ing), n. [Verbal n. of flay 2 , .] 1. 
The act of frightening. 2. An apparition or 
hobgoblin. Brockett. [Prov. Eng.] 
flayret, See flair 2 . 
flay some (fla'sum), a. [< flay 2 + -some."] Ter- 
rifying ; frightful. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] 
Shoo'l not oppen 't an ye mak yerflaysome dins till neeght. 
E. Bronte, Wuthering Heights, ii. 
flea 1 (fle), n. [Early mod. E. also flee; < ME. 
flee, fle, pi. flees, earlier fleen, flen, < AS. fledh, 
also contr. fled, sometimes written fl&h, fled = 
D. vloo = MLG. vlo, vloe, LG. flo = OHG. flolt, 
MHG. vloch, G. floh = Icel. flo (the Sw. Dan. 
word is different: Sw. loppa = Dan. loppe, a 
flea, lit. 'leaper': see leap 1 ), a flea; prob. from 
the root of AS. fledn, orig. *fleohan, flee: see 
flee 1 . Not connected with fly 1 , v., or fly 2 , n.] 1. 
An insect of the genus Pttlex, regarded by ento- 
Conimon Flea (Pulex irritant}. ( Line shows natural size.) 
mologists as representing a distinct order Jplia- 
niptera, so called because the wings are incon- 
spicuous scales. All the species of the genus are very 
similar to the common flea, P. irntanx, which has two eyes 
and six long and stout legs, feelers like threads, and the oral 
appendages modified into piercing stylets and a suctorial 
proboscis. The flea is remarkable for its agility, making 
longer leaps in proportion to its size than any other ani- 
mal, and its bite is very troublesome. 
What eyleth thee to slepe by the morwe? 
Hastow had fleen al nyght or artow dronke, . . . 
So that thou mayst nat 'holden vp thyn heed? 
Chaucer, Prol. to Manciple's Tale, 1. 17. 
Flen, flyys, and freres [fleas, flies, and Wai's] populum 
Domini cajdunt [afflict the people of the Lord]. 
Reliquiai Antiques, I. 91. 
That's a valiant flea, that dare eat his breakfast on the 
lip of a lion. Shak., Hen. V., iii. 7. 
2. pi. The family Pulicida>, or order Jphanip- 
tera. See these words. 3. A flea-beetle ; a 
saltatorial beetle of the genus Haltica, as H. 
nemorum, which injures the turnip, and is also 
called turnip-flea and turnip-fly. 4. Any am- 
phipod crustacean which jumps like a flea; a 
sandhopper; a scud. See beach-flea A flea in 
one's ear, something in mind that cansts special atten- 
tion or interest, particularly of a disagreeable kind, as an 
annoying suggestion or hint; especially, an irritating or 
mortifying rebuff or repulse : as, to put a flea in one's ear. 
But so sone as she had gotten her desired pray, she gave 
them a rosemarie wipe, dismissing them and sending them 
away with fleas in their eares, vtterly disapointed of their 
purpose. 
De L'isle, Legendarie (trans.), quoted in N. and Q., 
[7th ser., II. 265. 
My mistress sends away all her suitors, and piitsyfaMt'n 
their ears. Swift. 
flea 1 (fle), v. t. [< flea 1 , it."] To clear of fleas. 
[Rare.] 
Go flea dogs and read romances. 
Congreoe, Way of the World, iv. 9. 
flea 2 t, !'. t. An obsolete form of flay 1 . 
