flay

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: flā, IPA(key): /fleɪ/ (dialectal) enPR: flē, IPA(key): /fliː/ Rhymes: -eɪ === Etymology 1 === From Middle English flayen, flaien, fleien, from Old English *flīeġan ("to cause to fly, put to flight, frighten"; found only in compounds: āflīeġan), from Proto-Germanic *flaugijaną (“to let fly, cause to fly”), causative of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to fly”). ==== Alternative forms ==== fla (Yorkshire) fley, flee, fly, fleg, flae, flea (Scotland) ==== Verb ==== flay (third-person singular simple present flays, present participle flaying, simple past and past participle flayed) (transitive, UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening). (transitive, UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) To frighten; scare; terrify. (intransitive, UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) To be fear-stricken. ===== Derived terms ===== flaying ==== Noun ==== flay (plural flays) (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) A fright; a scare. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Fear; a source of fear; a formidable matter; a fearsome or repellent-looking individual. ===== Derived terms ===== flaysome === Etymology 2 === From Middle English flen, from Old English flēan, from Proto-West Germanic *flahan, from Proto-Germanic *flahaną. ==== Verb ==== flay (third-person singular simple present flays, present participle flaying, simple past flayed or (archaic) flaid or (obsolete) flew, past participle flayed or (archaic) flaid or (obsolete) flew or (archaic) flain) To strip the skin off; to skin. To lash or whip. ===== Synonyms ===== (remove the skin of): fleece, flense, skin ===== Derived terms ===== beflay flail flayer flay someone alive unflayed ===== Translations ===== === References === === Anagrams === Alfy