Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FLAT'U-OUS, a. [L. flatuosus.]

Windy; generating wind. [Not used.] Bacon.

FLA'TUS, n. [L. from flo, to blow.]

1. A breath; a puff of wind. Clarke.
2. Wind generated in the stomach or other cavities of the body; flatulence. Quincy.

FLAT'WISE, a. [or adv. from flat.]

With the flat side downward or next to another object; not edgewise. Woodward.

FLAUNT, n.

Any thing displayed for show. Shak.

FLAUNT, v.i. [I know not whence we have this word. It is doubtless of Celtic origin, from the root Ln, bearing the sense of throwing out, or spreading. Qu. Scot. flanter, to waver. See Flounce.]

1. To throw or spread out; to flutter; to display ostentatiously; as, a flaunting show. You flaunt about the streets in your new gilt chariot. Arbuthnot. One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade. Pope. [This correctly expresses the author's meaning, which is, that the proud often attempt to make a show and parade of their importance, even in poverty. Johnson's remark on the use of the word seems therefore to be unfounded.]
2. To carry a pert or saucy appearance. Boyle.

FLAUNT-ING, ppr.

Making an ostentatious display.

FLAUNT'ING-LY, adv.

In a flaunting way.

FLA-VIC'O-MOUS, a. [L. flavus and coma.]

Having yellow hair.

FLA'VOR, n. [Qu. Fr. flairer, to smell; W. fleiriaw.]

The quality of a substance which affects the taste or smell, in any manner. We say, the wine has a fine flavor, or a disagreeable flavor; the fruit has a bad flavor; a rose has a sweet flavor. The word then signifies the quality which is tasted or smelt; taste, odor, fragrance, smell.

FLA'VOR, v.t.

To communicate some quality to a thing, that may affect the taste or smell.

FLA'VOR-ED, a.

Having a quality that affects the sense of tasting or smelling; as, high-flavored wine, having the quality in a high degree.

FLA'VOR-ING, ppr.

Giving a flavor to.

FLA'VOR-LESS, a.

Without flavor; tasteless; having no smell or taste. Encyc.

FLA'VOR-OUS, a.

Pleasant to the taste or smell. Dryden.

FLA'VOUS, a. [L. flavus.]

Yellow. [Not used.] Smith.

FLAW, n. [W. flaw, a piece rent, a splinter, a ray, a dart, a flaw; flau, a spreading out, a radiation; fla, a parting from; also, floçen, a splinter; floç, a flying about; floçi, to dart suddenly; flyçiaw, to break out abruptly. The Gr. φλαω seems to be contracted from φλαδω or φλαθω.]

1. A breach; a crack; a defect made by breaking or splitting; a gap or fissure; as, a flaw in a sythe, knife or razor; a flaw in a china dish, or in a glass; a flaw in a wall.
2. A defect; a fault; any defect made by violence, or occasioned by neglect; as, a flaw in reputation; a flaw in a will, or in a deed, or in a statute.
3. A sudden burst of wind; a sudden gust or blast of short duration; a word of common use among seamen. [This proves the primary sense to be, to burst or rush.]
4. A sudden burst of noise and disorder; a tumult; uproar. And deluges of armies from the town / Came pouring in; I heard the mighty flaw. Dryden. [In this sense, the word is not used in the United States.]
5. A sudden commotion of mind. [Not used.] Shak.

FLAW, v.t.

1. To break; to crack. The brazen caldrons with the frosts are flawed. Dryden
2. To break; to violate; as, to flaw a league. [Little used.] Shak.

FLAW'ED, pp.

Broken; cracked.

FLAW'ING, ppr.

Breaking; cracking.

FLAW'LESS, a.

Without cracks; without defect. Boyle.

FLAWN, n. [Sax. flena; Fr. flan.]

A sort of custard or pie. [Obs.] Tusser.

FLAW'TER, v.t.

To scrape or pare a skin. [Not used.] Ainsworth.

FLAW'Y, a.

1. Full of flaws or cracks; broken; defective; faulty.
2. Subject to sudden gusts of wind.

FLAX, n. [Sax. fleax, flex; G. flachs; D. vlas. The elements are the same as in flaccid.]

1. A plant of the genus Linum. consisting of a single slender stalk, the skin or harl of which is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, &c. The skin consists of fine fibers, which may be so separated as to be spun into threads as fine as silk.
2. The skin or fibrous part of the plant when broken and cleaned by hatcheling or combing.

FLAX'COMB, n.

An instrument with teeth, through which flax is drawn for separating from it the tow or coarser part and the shives. In America we call it a hatchel.