flail
noun
\ ˈflāl
\
\
Definition of flail
(Entry 1 of 2)
: 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
verb
flailed;
flailing;
flails
Definition of flail (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: 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
: to move, swing, or beat like a flail
arms flailing in the water
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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: Noun
The borderlands have no courts and tribal police flail in the face of paperwork and investigations. — The Economist, "Pakistan’s borderlands at last win a say in their own administration," 20 July 2019 Thus, the outsize significance of the wedding ring, a clumsy flail toward concretizing what is essentially ethereal. — Jennifer Bernstein, Vox, "Even as I question the institution of marriage and all its traditions, I find myself still wanting a ring.," 3 July 2019 Hence the Nasdaq swings higher than the other indices when the Big Four fly high and falls more rapidly when the Big Four flail. — Allan Sloan, Washington Post, "Instead of ranting about market’s ‘mistake,’ let me issue a warning about ‘correction’," 7 June 2019 For good measure, still in mid-flail, LeBron takes a gratuitous swipe at Bogey’s face. — Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: Who can stop LeBron? No one. But Pacers Bogdanovic has done a better job than most.," 17 Apr. 2018 Included in the anatomical arsenal were tails that evolved to act like flails, spikes, bats and clubs. — Nicholas St. Fleur, New York Times, "Where Did Animals With Tail Weapons Go? Here’s a Back Story," 16 Jan. 2018 Among the tactics, no shtick is simultaneously as eye-catching and absurd as the spastic flail of a perky nylon tube with vaguely human features. — Eric Tingwall, Car and Driver, "How the Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man Pulls Off Those Fresh Moves," 17 Oct. 2017 To president Trump and his administration, the quest for tax reform looks like repeal and replace (i.e. flail and disgrace) all over again. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Is Afraid His Tax Plan Is Doomed. He Should Be.," 18 Oct. 2017 Outdoors, its interactions with the wind give the inflatable its erratic flail. — Eric Tingwall, Car and Driver, "How the Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man Pulls Off Those Fresh Moves," 17 Oct. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
During the second set of the women’s final on Saturday between Serena Williams, 37, and Bianca Andreescu, 19, of Canada, the crowd suddenly erupted in cheers as Williams was flailing, in a sort of desperate attempt to rescue her. — Sean Gregory, Time, "Serena Williams Keeps Fighting, But Falls Short in Another Grand Slam," 8 Sep. 2019 Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, flailing and desperate for attention, eagerly picked up on the prompts given him by former Democratic political staffers turned TV news anchors. — John Kass, Twin Cities, "John Kass: Weaponizing the dead of El Paso and Dayton," 9 Aug. 2019 The heavily right-handed Marlins flailed at Paddack’s two plus offerings, right-handers missing on eight of their 25 swings at the fastball and six of their 11 swings at the change-up. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Padres envision Chris Paddack adding to his arsenal, to his lore," 18 July 2019 Across Twitter, many are unhappy with seeing their team flail, trying to stay one step ahead of the new video replay. — Xavier Harding, Fortune, "Women's World Cup: VAR Instant Replay Tech Has Players and Fans up in Arms," 24 June 2019 Paddack jumped up 0-2 on J.T. Realmuto before throwing a fastball just outside and then getting Realmuto to flail at a change-up. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Phillies beat Paddack, Padres," 16 Aug. 2019 Prices for everything from stocks to gold to oil have been heaving as investors flail from one moment of uncertainty around Trump’s trade war to another around what central banks will do with interest rates. — Stan Choe, BostonGlobe.com, "US stocks steady after plunge, but caution still reigns," 15 Aug. 2019 The man with the club got off three decisive swings, connecting meatily with the young man’s limbs and torso as the young man flailed backward off the sofa and tried to cram his entire stringy body in under a tabletop. — Colin Barrett, Harper's magazine, "The Alps," 22 July 2019 Against this supersized backdrop Viacom, a content provider with a market value of nearly $12bn, and CBS, a television network worth some $18bn, look like flailing minnows. — The Economist, "Viacom and CBS agree to reunite," 14 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for flail
flail
noun
English Language Learners Definition of flail
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a long-handled tool that was used in the past for beating wheat so that the grain would become separated from the wheat
flail
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of flail (Entry 2 of 2)
: to move or swing your arms or legs in a wild and uncontrolled way
: to strike or hit (something or someone) in a wild and uncontrolled way
See the full definition for flail in the English Language Learners Dictionary
flail
verb
\ ˈflāl
\
\
flailed;
flailing
Kids Definition of flail
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to wave the arms or legs wildly
2
: to swing something with a violent motion
flail
nounKids Definition of flail (Entry 2 of 2)
: a tool for threshing grain by hand