floss

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /flɒs/ (General American) IPA(key): /flɔs/ (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /flɑs/ Rhymes: -ɒs, -ɔːs === Etymology 1 === Unclear: Possibly from French floche (“tuft of wool”), from floc, from Old French flosche (“down, velvet”), from Latin floccus (“piece of wool”), probably from Frankish *flokkō (“down, wool, flock”), from Proto-Germanic *flukkô (“down, piece of wool, flock”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewk- (“hair, fibres, tuft”). Or, from Middle English *flos (attested in Middle English Flosmonger (a surname)), from Proto-West Germanic *fleus, related to English fleece. Cognate with Old High German flocko (“down”), Middle Dutch vlocke (“flock”), Norwegian dialectal flugsa (“snowflake”), Dutch flos (“plush”) (tr=17c.). ==== Noun ==== floss (countable and uncountable, plural flosses) A thread used to clean the gaps between the teeth. Raw silk fibres. The fibres covering a corncob etc.; the loose downy or silky material inside the husks of certain plants, such as beans. Any thread-like material having parallel strands that are not spun or wound around each other. (British) Spun sugar or cotton candy, especially in the phrase "candy floss". A body feather of an ostrich. A dance move in which the dancer repeatedly swings their arms, with clenched fists, from the back of their body to the front, on each side. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== floss (third-person singular simple present flosses, present participle flossing, simple past and past participle flossed) (ambitransitive) To clean the area between (the teeth) using floss. (slang, African-American Vernacular) To show off, especially by exhibiting one's wealth or talent. Synonyms: flamboast, high-side, stunt; see also Thesaurus:show off (intransitive) To perform the floss dance move. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From dialectal flosh (“a flush, stream of water, sluice”), from Middle English flosche, flusche, flasche, flaske (“a watery or marshy place, swamp”), perhaps from Old French flache, from Middle Dutch vlacke (“a flat area, plain”), ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *fleutan. Compare also German Floss (“a float”). ==== Noun ==== floss (plural flosses) (UK) A small stream of water. Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present. ===== Derived terms ===== floss hole ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === Origin obscure. Perhaps of North Germanic origin. Compare Norwegian flos, flus (“rind, scale, strip peeled off”). ==== Noun ==== floss (plural flosses) (Northern England, Scotland) The common rush (Juncus effusus). Synonyms: common rush, soft rush === References === == German == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /flɔs/ Rhymes: -ɔs === Verb === floss first/third-person singular preterite of fließen == Swedish == === Noun === floss ? (slang) alternative form of flos (“money”)