Complete Definition of "flail"

wikipedia
was wotd|2007|January|5
English
Image:Klassischer-Flegel.jpg|thumb|right|150px|a flail (weapon)

Etymology
From L. flagellum, 'whip'

Pronunciation
IPA|/fleɪl/
audio|en-us-flail.ogg|Audio (US)
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-eɪl|-eɪl

Noun
en-noun

  1. A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain or thong etc.
  2. A weapon which has the striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain etc.
Quotations
1631 � w:John Milton|John Milton, s:L'Allegro|L'Allegro
:When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, <br/>His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn <br/>That ten day-labourers could not end;
1816 � w:Samuel Taylor Coleridge|Samuel Taylor Coleridge, s:Kubla Khan|Kubla Khan
:Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, <br/>Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail
1842 � w:Henry Wadsworth Longfellow|Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, s:The Slave in the Dismal Swamp|The Slave in the Dismal Swamp
:On him alone the curse of Cain <br/>Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain, <br/>And struck him to the earth!
1879 � w:Henry George|Henry George, s:Progress and Poverty|Progress and Poverty, ch V

Translations
trans-top|a tool
Dutch: Vlegel m
French: Fléau m
German: Flegel m
Latin: pertica trituaria
trans-mid
Portuguese: mangual m
Polish: cep m
Russian: �еп (cep) m
Spanish: mayal m
Swedish: slaga
trans-bottom

trans-top|a weapon
Czech: �emdih m
French: Fléau m
trans-mid
Russian: ки��ен� (kist'én') m, мо�ген��е�н (morg'enštérn) m
Swedish: stridsgissel, morgonstjärna
trans-bottom

Verb
en-verb

  1. To beat using a flail or similar.
  2. To wave or swing vigorously.
  3. To thresh.
Quotations
1937 � w:H. P. Lovecraft|H. P. Lovecraft, s:The Evil Clergyman|The Evil Clergyman

Translations
trans-top|to wave or swing vigorously
Spanish: debatirse
trans-mid
Swedish: fäkta, vifta
trans-bottom

trans-top|to thresh
Dutch: dorsen
trans-mid
Spanish: desgranar
Swedish: tröska
trans-bottom

Category:Weapons

fr:flail
io:flail
ru:flail
fi:flail
te:flail
vi:flail
zh:flail

Revision and Credits for"flail"
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