flay

flay

transitive verb \ˈflā\

Definition of FLAY

1

: to strip off the skin or surface of : skin

2

: to criticize harshly : excoriate

3

: lash 1b <the wind whipped up to gale fury, flaying his face — Richard Kent>

Examples of FLAY

1. <her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping>
2. <flayed their kill right there in the forest, taking both the meat and the skin home>

Origin of FLAY

Middle English flen, from Old English flēan; akin to Old Norse flā to flay, Lithuanian plėšti to tear

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FLAY

Synonyms

baste, bawl out, berate, call down, castigate, chastise, chew out, dress down, scold, hammer, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against), rant (at), rate, ream (out), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, score, tongue-lash, upbraid

Related Words

admonish, chide, remonstrate (with), reprove; abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis (also diss) [slang], excoriate, fault, harangue, knock, lace (into), lash, pan, reprehend, revile, scourge, slam, vituperate; belittle, disparage, mock, put down; ridicule, scoff, scorn

Near Antonyms

approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; extol (also extoll), laud, praise

Rhymes with FLAY

a, ae, bay, bey, blae, brae, bray, chez, clay, Cray, day, dey, dray, eh, fay, fey, fley, frae, fray, Frey, gay, Gay, gey, gley, gray, hay, he, hey, Hue, j, jay, Jay, k, kay, Kay, lay, lei, may, nay, né, née, neigh, Ney, pay, pe, play, pray, prey, qua, quai, quay, Rae, ray, re, say, shay, slay, sleigh, spae, spay, Spey, splay, spray, stay, stray, sway, Tay, they, tray, trey, way, weigh, whey, yea