flail

flail

verb

Definition of FLAIL

1

to move or cause to move with a striking motion <started to flail his arms wildly when he spied a bat in the house>

Synonyms beat, flail, flop, flutter, whip

Related Words bang, batter, buffet, knock, pound, smack, spank, thump; flick, flicker, flit; fan, oscillate, sway, swing; undulate, wave; palpitate, pulse, throb

2

to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible <gruesome evidence that the prisoner had been flailed>

Synonyms birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, switch, tan, thrash, whale

Related Words knout, quirt, strap; cut; flick, touch up; blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate; pistol-whip; bang, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clout, crack, cuff, hit, knock, lam, paste, punch, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack; bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, bludgeon, buffet, bung, drub, fib [British], hammer, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lather, lick, mangle, maul, paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, rough, slate, slog, thresh, thump, tromp, whop (or whap), whup, work over