Flayer - Flesh

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Flayer (?), n. One who strips off the skin.
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Flea (flē), v. t. [See .] To flay. [Obs.]
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He will be fleaed first
And horse collars made of's skin. J. Fletcher.
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Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fleá, fleáh; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. flōh, G. floh, Icel. flō, Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. √84. See .] (Zoöl.) An insect belonging to the genus Pulex, of the order Aphaniptera. Fleas are destitute of wings, but have the power of leaping energetically. The bite is poisonous to most persons. The human flea (Pulex irritans), abundant in Europe, is rare in America, where the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis, formerly Pulex canis) and the smaller cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) take its place. See , and . See Illustration in Appendix.
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Coloq. A flea in the ear , an unwelcome hint or unexpected reply, annoying like a flea; an irritating repulse; as, to put a flea in one's ear; to go away with a flea in one's ear. -- Coloq. Beach flea , Coloq. Black flea , etc. See under , etc.
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Fleabane (?), n. (Bot.) One of various plants, supposed to have efficacy in driving away fleas. They belong, for the most part, to the genera Conyza, Erigeron, and Pulicaria.
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Flea-beetle (?), n. (Zoöl.) A small beetle of the family Halticidæ, of many species. They have strong posterior legs and leap like fleas. The turnip flea-beetle (Phyllotreta vittata) and that of the grapevine (Graptodera chalybea) are common injurious species.
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Flea-bite (?), n. 1. The bite of a flea, or the red spot caused by the bite.
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2. A trifling wound or pain, like that of the bite of a flea. Harvey.
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flea-bitten (?), a. 1. Bitten by a flea; as, a flea-bitten face.
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2. White, flecked with minute dots of bay or sorrel; -- said of the color of a horse.
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3. same as , 1. [wns=1]
Syn. -- creaky, decrepit, run-down, rundown, woebegone.
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Fleagh (flē), obs. imp. of .
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Fleak (flēk), n. A flake; a thread or twist. [Obs.]
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Little long fleaks or threads of hemp. Dr. H. More.
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Fleaking, n. A light covering of reeds, over which the main covering is laid, in thatching houses. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
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Flea-louse (?), n. (Zoöl.) A jumping plant louse of the family Psyllidæ, of many species. That of the pear tree is Psylla pyri.
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Fleam (?), n. [F. flamme, OF. flieme, fr. LL. flevotomum, phlebotomum; cf. D. vlijm. See .] (Surg. & Far.) A sharp instrument used for opening veins, lancing gums, etc.; a kind of lancet.
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Coloq. Fleam tooth , a tooth of a saw shaped like an isosceles triangle; a peg tooth. Knight.
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Fleamy (?), a. Bloody; clotted. [Obs. or Prov.]
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Foamy bubbling of a fleamy brain. Marston.
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Flear (?), v. t. & i. See .
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Fleawort (?), n. (Bot.) An herb used in medicine (Plantago Psyllium), named from the shape of its seeds. Loudon.
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Flèche (?), n. [F. flèche, prop., an arrow.] (Fort.) A simple fieldwork, consisting of two faces forming a salient angle pointing outward and open at the gorge.
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Fleck (?), n. A flake; also, a lock, as of wool. [Obs.] J. Martin.
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Fleck (?), n. [Cf. Icel. flekkr; akin to Sw. fläck, D. vlek, G. fleck, and perh. to E. flitch.] A spot; a streak; a speckle. “A sunny fleck.” Longfellow.
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Life is dashed with flecks of sin. tennyson.
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Fleck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flecked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Flecking.] [Cf. Icel. flekka, Sw. fläcka, D. vlekken, vlakken, G. flecken. See , n.] To spot; to streak or stripe; to variegate; to dapple.
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Both flecked with white, the true Arcadian strain. Dryden.
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A bird, a cloud, flecking the sunny air. Trench.
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Flecker (?), v. t. To fleck. Johnson.
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Fleckless, a. Without spot or blame. [R.]
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My consnience will not count me fleckless. Tennyson.
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Flection (?), n. [See .] 1. The act of bending, or state of being bent.
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2. The variation of words by declension, comparison, or conjugation; inflection.
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Flectional (?), a. Capable of, or pertaining to, flection or inflection.
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A flectional word is a phrase in the bud. Earle.
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Flector (?), n. A flexor.
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Fled (?), imp. & p. p. of .
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Fledge (?), a. [OE. flegge, flygge; akin to D. vlug, G. flügge, flücke, OHG. flucchi, Icel. fleygr, and to E. fly. √84. See , v. i.] Feathered; furnished with feathers or wings; able to fly.
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His shoulders, fledge with wings. Milton.
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Fledge, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Fledged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fledging.] 1. To furnish with feathers; to supply with the feathers necessary for flight.
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The birds were not as yet fledged enough to shift for themselves. L'Estrange.
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2. To furnish or adorn with any soft covering.
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Your master, whose chin is not yet fledged. Shak.
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fledged adj. 1. having developed feathers or plumage; often used in combination; -- of birds. [Narrower terms: fledgling(prenominal), fledgeling(prenominal)] unfledged
Syn. -- mature.
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2. equipped with feathers; -- of an arrow.
Syn. -- vaned.
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fledgeless adj. not equipped with feathers; -- of an arrow.
Syn. -- unfledged, unvaned.
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fledgeling, fledgling n. a new member of a group.
Syn. -- newcomer, fledgeling, starter, neophyte, freshman, entrant.
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2. A young bird just fledged. [wns=2]
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fledgling adj. 1. having just acquired its flight feathers; -- of a young bird; as, a fledgling robin. [prenominal]
Syn. -- fledgeling(prenominal).
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2. young and inexperienced; as, a fledgling enterprise; a fledgling skier.
Syn. -- unfledged.
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Flee (flē), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fled (flĕd); p. pr. & vb. n. Fleeing.] [OE. fleon, fleen, AS. fleón (imperf. fleáh); akin to D. vlieden, OHG. & OS. fliohan, G. fliehen, Icel. flȳja (imperf. flȳði), Dan. flye, Sw. fly (imperf. flydde), Goth. þliuhan. √84. Cf. .] To run away, as from danger or evil; to avoid in an alarmed or cowardly manner; to hasten off; -- usually with from. This is sometimes omitted, making the verb transitive.
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[He] cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke. Shak.
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Flee fornication. 1 Cor. vi. 18.
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So fled his enemies my warlike father. Shak.
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☞ When great speed is to be indicated, we commonly use fly, not flee; as, fly hence to France with the utmost speed. “Whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands?” Shak. See , v. i., 5.
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Fleece (flēs), n. [OE. flees, AS. fleós; akin to D. flies, vlies.] 1. The entire coat of wool that covers a sheep or other similar animal; also, the quantity shorn from a sheep, or animal, at one time.
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Who shore me
Like a tame wether, all my precious fleece. Milton.
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2. Any soft woolly covering resembling a fleece.
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3. (Manuf.) The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine.
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Coloq. Fleece wool , wool shorn from the sheep. -- Coloq. Golden fleece . See under .
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Fleece, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fleeced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fleecing.] 1. To deprive of a fleece, or natural covering of wool.
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2. To strip of money or other property unjustly, especially by trickery or fraud; to bring to straits by oppressions and exactions.
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Whilst pope and prince shared the wool betwixt them, the people were finely fleeced. Fuller.
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3. To spread over as with wool. [R.] Thomson.
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Fleeced (?), a. 1. Furnished with a fleece; as, a sheep is well fleeced. Spenser.
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2. Stripped of a fleece; plundered; robbed.
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Fleeceless (?), a. Without a fleece.
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Fleecer (?), n. One who fleeces or strips unjustly, especially by trickery or fraund. Prynne.
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Fleecy (?), a. Covered with, made of, or resembling, a fleece. “Fleecy flocks.” Prior.
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fleen (flēn), n. pl. Obs. pl. of . Chaucer.
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fleer (flēẽr), n. One who flees. Ld. Berners.
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fleer (flēr), [imp. & p. p. fleered (flērd); p. pr. & vb. n. fleering.] [OE. flerien; cf. Scot. fleyr, Norw. flira to titter, giggle, laugh at nothing, MHG. vlerre, vlarre, a wide wound.] 1. To make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn; to deride; to sneer; to mock; to gibe; as, to fleer and flout.
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To fleer and scorn at our solemnity. Shak.
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2. To grin with an air of civility; to leer. [Obs.]
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Grinning and fleering as though they went to a bear baiting. Latimer.
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Fleer, v. t. To mock; to flout at. Beau. & Fl.
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Fleer, n. 1. A word or look of derision or mockery.
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And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorn. Shak.
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2. A grin of civility; a leer. [Obs.]
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A sly, treacherous fleer on the face of deceivers. South.
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fleerer (flērẽr), n. One who fleers. Beau. & Fl.
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fleeringly, adv. In a fleering manner.
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fleet (flēt), v. i. [imp. & p. p. fleeted; p. pr. & vb. n. fleeting.] [OE. fleten, fleoten, to swim, AS. fleótan to swim, float; akin to D. vlieten to flow, OS. fliotan, OHG. fliozzan, G. fliessen, Icel. fljōta to float, flow, Sw. flyta, D. flyde, L. pluere to rain, Gr. plei^n to sail, swim, float, Skr. plu to swim, sail. √84. Cf. , n. & a., , , .] 1. To sail; to float. [Obs.]
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And in frail wood on Adrian Gulf doth fleet. Spenser.
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2. To fly swiftly; to pass over quickly; to hasten; to flit as a light substance.
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All the unaccomplished works of Nature's hand, . . .
Dissolved on earth, fleet hither. Milton.
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3. (Naut.) To slip on the whelps or the barrel of a capstan or windlass; -- said of a cable or hawser.
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4. (Naut.) To move or change in position; -- said of persons; as, the crew fleeted aft.
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Fleet, v. t. 1. To pass over rapidly; to skin the surface of; as, a ship that fleets the gulf. Spenser.
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2. To hasten over; to cause to pass away lighty, or in mirth and joy.
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Many young gentlemen flock to him, and fleet the time carelessly. Shak.
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3. (Naut.) (a) To draw apart the blocks of; -- said of a tackle. Totten.

(b) To cause to slip down the barrel of a capstan or windlass, as a rope or chain.
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4. (Naut.) To move or change in position; used only in special phrases; as, of fleet aft the crew.

We got the long “stick” . . . down and “fleeted” aft, where it was secured. F. T. Bullen.
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Fleet, a. [Compar. Fleeter (?); superl. Fleetest.] [Cf. Icel. fljōtr quick. See , v. i.] 1. Swift in motion; moving with velocity; light and quick in going from place to place; nimble.
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In mail their horses clad, yet fleet and strong. Milton.
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2. Light; superficially thin; not penetrating deep, as soil. [Prov. Eng.] Mortimer.
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Fleet, n. [OE. flete, fleote, AS. fleót ship, fr. fleótan to float, swim. See , v. i. and cf. .] A number of vessels in company, especially war vessels; also, the collective naval force of a country, etc.
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Coloq. Fleet captain , the senior aid of the admiral of a fleet, when a captain. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
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Fleet, n. [AS. fleót a place where vessels float, bay, river; akin to D. vliet rill, brook, G. fliess. See , v. i.] 1. A flood; a creek or inlet; a bay or estuary; a river; -- obsolete, except as a place name, -- as Fleet Street in London.
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Together wove we nets to entrap the fish
In floods and sedgy fleets. Matthewes.
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2. A former prison in London, which originally stood near a stream, the Fleet (now filled up).
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Coloq. Fleet parson , a clergyman of low character, in, or in the vicinity of, the Fleet prison, who was ready to unite persons in marriage (called Fleet marriage) at any hour, without public notice, witnesses, or consent of parents.
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Fleet (?), v. t. [AS. flēt cream, fr. fleótan to float. See , v. i.] To take the cream from; to skim. [Prov. Eng.] Johnson.
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Fleeten (?), n. Fleeted or skimmed milk. [Obs.]
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Coloq. Fleeten face , a face of the color of fleeten, i. e., blanched; hence, a coward. “You know where you are, you fleeten face.” Beau. & Fl.
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Fleet-foot (?), a. Swift of foot. Shak.
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Fleeting, a. Passing swiftly away; not durable; transient; transitory; as, the fleeting hours or moments.

Syn. -- Evanescent; ephemeral. See .
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Fleetingly, adv. In a fleeting manner; swiftly.
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Fleetings (?), n. pl. A mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds. [prov. Eng.] Wright.
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Fleetly, adv. In a fleet manner; rapidly.
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Fleetness, n. Swiftness; rapidity; velocity; celerity; speed; as, the fleetness of a horse or of time.
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Fleigh (?), obs. imp. of . Chaucer.
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Fleme (?), v. t. [AS. flēman, flȳman.] To banish; to drive out; to expel. [Obs.] “Appetite flemeth discretion.” Chaucer.
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Flemer (?), n. One who, or that which, banishes or expels. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Fleming (?), n. A native or inhabitant of Flanders.
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Flemish (?), a. Pertaining to Flanders, or the Flemings. -- n. The language or dialect spoken by the Flemings; also, collectively, the people of Flanders.
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Coloq. Flemish accounts (Naut.), short or deficient accounts. [Humorous] Ham. Nav. Encyc. -- Coloq. Flemish beauty (Bot.), a well known pear. It is one of few kinds which have a red color on one side. -- Coloq. Flemish bond . (Arch.) See , n., 8. -- Coloq. Flemish brick , a hard yellow paving brick. -- Coloq. Flemish coil , a flat coil of rope with the end in the center and the turns lying against, without riding over, each other. -- Coloq. Flemish eye (Naut.), an eye formed at the end of a rope by dividing the strands and lying them over each other. -- Coloq. Flemish horse (Naut.), an additional footrope at the end of a yard.
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Flench (?), v. t. Same as .
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Flense (?), v. t. [Cf. Dan. flense, D. vlensen, vlenzen, Scot. flinch.] To strip the blubber or skin from, as from a whale, seal, etc.
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the flensed carcass of a fur seal. U. S. Census (1880).
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Flesh (flĕsh), n. [OE. flesch, flesc, AS. flǣsc; akin to OFries. flāsk, D. vleesch, OS. flēsk, OHG. fleisc, G. fleisch, Icel. & Dan. flesk lard, bacon, pork, Sw. fläsk.] 1. The aggregate of the muscles, fat, and other tissues which cover the framework of bones in man and other animals; especially, the muscles.
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☞ In composition it is mainly proteinaceous, but contains in adition a large number of low-molecular-weight subtances, such as creatin, xanthin, hypoxanthin, carnin, etc. It is also rich in potassium phosphate.
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2. Animal food, in distinction from vegetable; meat; especially, the body of beasts and birds used as food, as distinguished from fish.
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With roasted flesh, or milk, and wastel bread. Chaucer.
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3. The human body, as distinguished from the soul; the corporeal person.
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As if this flesh, which walls about our life,
Were brass impregnable. Shak.
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4. The human eace; mankind; humanity.
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All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Gen. vi. 12.
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5. Human nature: (a) In a good sense, tenderness of feeling; gentleness.
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There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart. Cowper.

(b) In a bad sense, tendency to transient or physical pleasure; desire for sensual gratification; carnality. (c) (Theol.) The character under the influence of animal propensities or selfish passions; the soul unmoved by spiritual influences.
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6. Kindred; stock; race.
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He is our brother and our flesh. Gen. xxxvii. 27.
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7. The soft, pulpy substance of fruit; also, that part of a root, fruit, and the like, which is fit to be eaten.
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☞ Flesh is often used adjectively or self-explaining compounds; as, flesh broth or flesh-broth; flesh brush or fleshbrush; flesh tint or flesh-tint; flesh wound.
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Coloq. After the flesh , after the manner of man; in a gross or earthly manner. “Ye judge after the flesh.” John viii. 15. -- Coloq. An arm of flesh , human strength or aid. -- Coloq. Flesh and blood . See under . -- Coloq. Flesh broth , broth made by boiling flesh in water. -- Coloq. Flesh fly (Zoöl.), one of several species of flies whose larvæ or maggots feed upon flesh, as the bluebottle fly; -- called also meat fly, carrion fly, and blowfly. See . -- Coloq. Flesh meat , animal food. Swift. -- Coloq. Flesh side , the side of a skin or hide which was next to the flesh; -- opposed to grain side. -- Coloq. Flesh tint (Painting), a color used in painting to imitate the hue of the living body. -- Coloq. Flesh worm (Zoöl.), any insect larva of a flesh fly. See Flesh fly (above). -- Coloq. Proud flesh . See under . -- Coloq. To be one flesh , to be closely united as in marriage; to become as one person. Gen. ii. 24.
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Flesh, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fleshed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fleshing.] 1. To feed with flesh, as an incitement to further exertion; to initiate; -- from the practice of training hawks and dogs by feeding them with the first game they take, or other flesh. Hence, to use upon flesh (as a murderous weapon) so as to draw blood, especially for the first time.
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Full bravely hast thou fleshed
Thy maiden sword. Shak.
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The wild dog
Shall flesh his tooth on every innocent. Shak.
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2. To glut; to satiate; hence, to harden, to accustom. “Fleshed in triumphs.” Glanvill.
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Old soldiers
Fleshed in the spoils of Germany and France. Beau. & Fl.
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3. (Leather Manufacture) To remove flesh, membrance, etc., from, as from hides.
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