—n. - small thin light piece of snow etc.

- thin broad piece peeled or split off.

- dogfish etc. As food. —v. (-king) (often foll. By away, off) 1 take off or come away in flakes.

- sprinkle with or fall in flakes. flake out colloq. Fall asleep or drop from exhaustion; faint. [origin unknown]

adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or in flakes.

- esp. Us slang crazy, eccentric.

- pastry n. Crumblier version of puff pastry.

—n. - a ignited gas. B portion of this (flame flickered; burst into flames).

- a bright light or colouring. B brilliant orange-red colour.

- a strong passion, esp. Love (fan the flame). B colloq. Sweetheart. —v. (-ming) 1 (often foll. By away, forth, out, up) burn; blaze.

- (often foll. By out, up) a (of passion) break out. B (of a person) become angry.

- shine or glow like flame. [latin flamma]

—n. - side of the body between ribs and hip.

- side of a mountain, building, etc.

- right or left side of an army etc. —v. (often in passive) be at or move along the side of (road flanked by mountains). [french from germanic]

—v. (-ring) 1 widen gradually (flared trousers).

- (cause to) blaze brightly and unsteadily.

- burst out, esp. Angrily. —n. - a dazzling irregular flame or light. B sudden outburst of flame.

- flame or bright light used as a signal or to illuminate a target etc.

- a gradual widening, esp. Of a skirt or trousers. B (in pl.) Wide-bottomed trousers. flare up burst into a sudden blaze, anger, activity, etc. [origin unknown]

bulb n. Photog. Bulb for a flashlight.

- in the pan n. Promising start followed by failure.

- —v. - (cause to) emit a brief or sudden light; (cause to) gleam.

- send or reflect like a sudden flame (eyes flashed fire).

- a burst suddenly into view or perception (answer flashed upon me). B move swiftly (train flashed past).

- a send (news etc.) By radio, telegraph, etc. B signal to (a person) with lights.

- colloq. Show ostentatiously (flashed her ring).

- slang indecently expose oneself. —n. - sudden bright light or flame, e.g. Of lightning.

- an instant (in a flash).

- sudden brief feeling, display of wit, etc. (flash of hope).

- = *newsflash.

- photog. = *flashlight 1.

- mil. Coloured cloth patch on a uniform.

- bright patch of colour. —adj. Colloq. Gaudy; showy; vulgar (flash car). [imitative]

n. - narrow-necked bulbous bottle for wine etc. Or used in chemistry.

- = *hip-flask.

- = *vacuum flask. [latin flasca, flasco: cf. *flagon]

—n. - small patch of colour or light.

- particle, speck. —v. Mark with flecks. [old norse, or low german or dutch]

—n. - a warships under one commander-in-chief. B (prec. By the) nation's warships etc.; navy.

- number of vehicles in one company etc. —adj. Poet. Literary swift, nimble. [old english]

and blood —n. - the body or its substance.

- humankind.

- human nature, esp. As fallible. —adj. Real, not imaginary.

- n. - a soft, esp. Muscular, substance between the skin and bones of an animal or a human. B plumpness; fat.

- the body, esp. As sinful.

- pulpy substance of a fruit etc.

- a visible surface of the human body. B (also flesh-colour) yellowish pink colour.

- animal or human life. all flesh all animate creation. Flesh out make or become substantial. In the flesh in person. One's own flesh and blood near relatives. [old english]