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View synonyms for

flay

[fley]

verb (used with object)

  1. to strip off the skin or outer covering of.

  2. to criticize or scold with scathing severity.

    Synonyms: , ,
  3. to deprive or strip of money or property.



flay

/ ڱɪ /

verb

  1. to strip off the skin or outer covering of, esp by whipping; skin

  2. to attack with savage criticism

  3. to strip of money or goods, esp by cheating or extortion

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • flayer noun
  • unflayed adjective
  • ˈڱ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of flay1

before 900; Middle English flen, Old English ڱŧ; cognate with Middle Dutch vlaen, Old Norse ڱ
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Word History and Origins

Origin of flay1

Old English ڱŧ ; related to Old Norse ڱ to peel, Lithuanian šپ to tear
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Its common name is weeping fig, and in these flayed skins the lamentation resonates.

From

Having opted to continue its lawsuit against two activist investor groups even after they withdrew a shareholder proposal the company management opposed, the giant oil company had gotten flayed by shareholder advocates for its bullying.

From

The pundits who are flaying the White House for making the connection are merely buying a GOP talking point.

From

As any loyal viewers of HBO's popular series know, one should never get too attached to a character, lest they end up decapitated, flayed, skewered or incinerated by dragon fire.

From

But instead of taking some responsibility and addressing the problem, House Republicans are flaying a scapegoat — Mayorkas — for their own election-year advantage and that of their lord and master, likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

From

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When To Use

does flay mean?

To flay is to strip off the skin or outer covering of something. Flay is most commonly used metaphorically to refer to severely criticizing someone. It can also mean to cheat or deprive someone of money or property.The original, literal meaning of flay typically referred to removing the skin of an animal. Flay can also refer to removing the skin of a human, especially as a form of torture by whipping. Neither of its literal senses are commonly used anymore, except perhaps in fiction.Example: People on social media love to flay celebrities who are caught doing the opposite of what they always tell other people to do.

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