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

Throughout the movie’s last act, Madison flails around with a knife and gets her eyes cut out by a can of dog food before getting set on fire and thrown into a pool. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024

There’s no evidence, however, that the recipients read the e-mails; Biden flailed in any case. —David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024

Some may conclude that Donald Trump’s recent conspiratorial demonizing of Democrats, immigrants, Jews, the children of judges across parties, devoted FEMA relief workers, and even wounded U.S. soldiers is evidence of the desperation of a flailing candidate. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024

Mayer took his own crazed solo, followed by Stills, and then Young closed with a final flurry of notes, flailing and cataclysmic, as always. —Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 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