flail

Use flail in a sentence

noun

The definition of a flail is a farm tool that is a long-handled stick that is swung to thresh grain.
An example of a flail is a tool used to toss grain up in the air.

verb

To flail is defined as to wave or swing about wildly or to flounder.
When you wave your arms around wildly, this is an example of flail.

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"flail." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail>.

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flail. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail

flail

a farm tool consisting of a free-swinging stick tied to the end of a long handle, used to thresh grain

Origin of flail

Middle English fleil from Old French flaiel and Old English an unverified form flegel, both from Classical Latin flagellum, a whip, scourge: see flagellate

to thresh with a flail
to strike or beat as with a flail
to move (one's arms) about like flails: often used fig. of futile or awkward struggling of any kind: flailing about in vain attempts to establish a career

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MLA Style

"flail." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail>.

APA Style

flail. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail

flail

noun

A manual threshing device consisting of a long wooden handle or staff and a shorter, free-swinging stick attached to its end.

verb

flailed, flail·ing, flails

verb

transitive

To beat or strike with or as if with a flail: flailed our horses with the reins.
To wave or swing vigorously; thrash: flailed my arms to get their attention.
To thresh using a flail.

verb

intransitive

To move vigorously or erratically; thrash about: arms flailing helplessly in the water.
To strike or lash out violently: boxers flailing at each other in the ring.
To make energetic but aimless or or ineffectual efforts: “As the end of law school approached, Hill flailed briefly in numerous professional directions” ( Molly Worthen )
To thresh grain.

Origin of flail

Middle English from Old English flegil and from Old French flaiel both from Late Latin flagellum threshing tool from Latin flagrum whip

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"flail." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail>.

APA Style

flail. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/flail

Noun

(plural flails)

A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present flails, present participle flailing, simple past and past participle flailed)

To beat using a flail or similar implement.
To wave or swing vigorously
To thresh.
(intransitive) To move like a flail.
He was flailing wildly, but didn't land a blow.

Origin

From Middle English flaile, flayle, from earlier Middle English fleil, fleyl, fleȝȝl, flegl, from Old English fligel, *flegel (“flail”), from Proto-Germanic *flagilaz (“flail, whip”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots flail (“a thresher's flail”), West Frisian fleil, flaaiel (“flail”), Dutch vlegel (“flail”), Low German vlegel (“flail”), German Flegel (“flail”). Possibly a native Germanic form from Proto-Germanic *flag-, *flah- (“to whip, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *plak-, *plāk- ("to beat, hit, strike; weep"; compare Lithuanian plàkti (“to whip, lash, flog”), Ancient Greek πληγνύναι (plēgnýnai, “strike, hit, encounter”), Latin plangō (“lament", i.e. "beat one's breast”)) + Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (instrumental suffix); or a borrowing of Latin flagellum, diminutive of flagrum (“scourge, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlag-, *bʰlaǵ- ("to beat"; compare Old Norse blekkja (“to beat, mistreat”)). Compare also Old French flael (“flail”), Italian flagello (“scourge, whip, plague”).