Flagship
(Flag"ship`) n. (Naut.) The vessel which carries the commanding officer of a fleet or squadron
and flies his distinctive flag or pennant.
Flagstaff
(Flag"staff`) n.; pl. -staves or -staffs A staff on which a flag is hoisted.
Flagstone
(Flag"stone`) n. A flat stone used in paving, or any rock which will split into such stones. See
Flag, a stone.
Flagworm
(Flag"worm`) n. (Zoöl.) A worm or grub found among flags and sedge.
Flail
(Flail) n. [L. flagellum whip, scourge, in LL., a threshing flail: cf. OF. flael, flaiel, F. fléau. See
Flagellum.]
1. An instrument for threshing or beating grain from the ear by hand, consisting of a wooden staff or
handle, at the end of which a stouter and shorter pole or club, called a swipe, is so hung as to swing
freely.
His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn.
Milton. 2. An ancient military weapon, like the common flail, often having the striking part armed with rows of
spikes, or loaded. Fairholt.
No citizen thought himself safe unless he carried under his coat a small flail, loaded with lead, to brain
the Popish assassins.
Macaulay. Flaily
(Flail"y) a. Acting like a flail. [Obs.] Vicars.
Flain
(Flain) obs. p. p. of Flay. Chaucer.
Flake
(Flake) n. [Cf. Icel. flaki, fleki, Dan. flage, D. vlaak.]
1. A paling; a hurdle. [prov. Eng.]
2. A platform of hurdles, or small sticks made fast or interwoven, supported by stanchions, for drying
codfish and other things.
You shall also, after they be ripe, neither suffer them to have straw nor fern under them, but lay them
either upon some smooth table, boards, or flakes of wands, and they will last the longer.
English Husbandman. 3. (Naut.) A small stage hung over a vessel's side, for workmen to stand on in calking, etc.
Flake
(Flake) n. [Cf. Icel. flakna to flake off, split, flagna to flake off, Sw. flaga flaw, flake, flake plate,
Dan. flage snowflake. Cf. Flag a flat stone.]
1. A loose filmy mass or a thin chiplike layer of anything; a film; flock; lamina; layer; scale; as, a flake of
snow, tallow, or fish. "Lottle flakes of scurf." Addison.
Great flakes of ice encompassing our boat.
Evelyn. 2. A little particle of lighted or incandescent matter, darted from a fire; a flash.
With flakes of ruddy fire.
Somerville. 3. (Bot.) A sort of carnation with only two colors in the flower, the petals having large stripes.
