flay

flay

verb

Definition of FLAY

1

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings <her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping>

Synonyms baste, bawl out, berate, call down, castigate, chastise, chew out, dress down, flay, 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

2

to remove the natural covering of <flayed their kill right there in the forest, taking both the meat and the skin home>

Synonyms bark, flay, hull, husk, shell, shuck, skin

Related Words bare, denude, expose, scale, strip; pare