Definition of flail
: a hand threshing implement consisting of a wooden handle at the end of which a stouter and shorter stick is so hung as to swing freely
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Recent Examples of flail from the Web
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For good measure, still in mid-flail, LeBron takes a gratuitous swipe at Bogey’s face.
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Included in the anatomical arsenal were tails that evolved to act like flails, spikes, bats and clubs.
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Among the tactics, no shtick is simultaneously as eye-catching and absurd as the spastic flail of a perky nylon tube with vaguely human features.
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To president Trump and his administration, the quest for tax reform looks like repeal and replace (i.e. flail and disgrace) all over again.
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Outdoors, its interactions with the wind give the inflatable its erratic flail.
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With two outs, Bauer toyed with Javier Baez, throwing a 1-0 strike past him before throwing consecutive pitches way out of the strike zone and watching the young second baseman flail at them wildly to end the inning.
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Scott appears on one mediocre chorus after another, and the rest of rap's younger generation flail along with him.
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For Christina Mallon, who has what doctors think is a rare form of A.L.S. (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) called flail arm syndrome, every task can become a challenge.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Definition of flail
1 a
: to strike with or as if with a flail
- The bird's wings flailed the water.
b
: to move, swing, or beat as if wielding a flail
- flailing a club to drive away the insects
2
: to thresh (grain) with a flail
: to move, swing, or beat like a flail
- arms flailing in the water
Examples of flail in a Sentence
They were flailing their arms to drive away the insects.
The wounded animal lay on the ground, flailing helplessly.
He was wildly flailing about on the dance floor.
The bird's wings flailed the water.
Recent Examples of flail from the Web
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The risk at this moment: A narrative setting in that Ryan is flailing and the conference is in trouble precisely because of that fact.
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His supporting cast has flailed, and the Cavaliers have never missed Kyrie Irving more.
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In another, a single adult human track appears in the center of a flailing circle.
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When Nijinsky watches his Petrushka flailing against the War Memorial proscenium, the objectification is apparent and touching.
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Twisting across his body, Odor flailed a desperate throw to first to rectify his folly.
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Yet Cordray ultimately had far broader appeal than Kucinich, who also flailed in the final weeks of the race to explain his past praise of Trump and his decision to accept $20,000 from a group supportive of Assad.
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The fastball explosion, the resulting flailing by hitters?
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At the end of the sloth track the sloth prints move in a circle, and there are claw marks on the ground, which the researchers interpret as the sloth rearing up on its hind legs and flailing its claws around.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of flail
see 1flail
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 15th century
in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
See Words from the same yearflail Synonyms
Synonyms
birch, cowhide, flagellate, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, scourge, slash, switch, thrash, whale, whip;
Related Words
cut;
blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate;
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, 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;
FLAIL Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of flail for English Language Learners
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: a long-handled tool that was used in the past for beating wheat so that the grain would become separated from the wheat
flail
Definition of flail for English Language Learners
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: to move or swing your arms or legs in a wild and uncontrolled way
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: to strike or hit (something or someone) in a wild and uncontrolled way
FLAIL Defined for Kids
Definition of flail for Students
flailed;
flailing
1
: to wave the arms or legs wildly
2
: to swing something with a violent motion
Medical Dictionary
adjective
\
ˈflā(ə)l
\
medical Definition of flail
: exhibiting abnormal mobility and loss of response to normal controls
—used of body parts damaged by paralysis, injury, or surgery
- flail joint
Learn More about flail
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See words that rhyme with flail Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for flail Spanish Central: Translation of flail Nglish: Translation of flail for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flail
Seen and Heard
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