flail

1 of 2

noun

ˈflāl 

: 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

flail

2 of 2

verb

flailed; flailing; flails

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to move, swing, or beat like a flail

arms flailing in the water

Synonyms

Verb

• beat
• flap
• flop
• flutter
• whip

Examples of flail in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Verb

With all eight episodes having arrived on Netflix Dec. 12, the show, which centers on flailing married couple Paul (Ray Romano) and Lydia Morgan (Lisa Kudrow), is ripe for bingeing heading into the holidays. —TIME, 13 Dec. 2024

If streaming has gone a long way toward keeping the NFL top-of-mind with its legions of fans, that’s not to say that creaky old TV doesn’t routinely turn on the jets whenever the Chiefs and Bills butt heads or the Cowboys flail their way through another frustrating loss. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Dec. 2024

The country's Constitutional Court on Friday annulled the Nov. 24 first round of presidential elections due to evidence of Russian interference, taking a stand where other affected countries have been flailing. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Derek is cool and unflappable on a show where everyone else is flailing a bit. —Brian Grubb, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English fleil, flail, partly from Old English *flegel (whence Old English fligel), from Late Latin flagellum flail, from Latin, whip & partly from Anglo-French flael, from Late Latin flagellum — more at flagellate

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

flail

1 of 2 noun

ˈflā(ə)l 

: a tool for threshing grain by hand

flail

2 of 2 verb

1

: to strike with or as if with a flail

2

: to move or wave about as if swinging a flail

flailed their arms

Medical Definition

flail

adjective

ˈflā(ə)l 

: exhibiting abnormal mobility and loss of response to normal controls

—used of body parts damaged by paralysis, injury, or surgery

flail joint