Flay: meaning, definitions and examples
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flay
[ fleɪ ]
punishment
To strip off the skin or outer covering of someone as a punishment or torture. Flaying was a common method of punishment in ancient times.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The criminal was flayed alive as a punishment for his crimes.
- The tyrant ordered his enemies to be flayed in public as a warning to others.
criticism
To criticize severely or harshly. To flay someone verbally means to attack or scold them with strong language.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The movie critic flayed the new film for its poor acting and plot.
- The manager flayed the employee for his repeated mistakes.
Translations
Translations of the word "flay" in other languages:
🇵🇹 esfolar
🇮🇳 चर्म निकालना
🇩🇪 häuten
🇮🇩 menguliti
🇺🇦 здирати шкіру
🇵🇱 obdzierać ze skóry
🇯🇵 皮を剥ぐ (かわをはぐ)
🇫🇷 écorcher
🇪🇸 desollar
🇹🇷 derisini yüzmek
🇰🇷 껍질을 벗기다
🇸🇦 سلخ
🇨🇿 stahovat kůži
🇸🇰 sťahovať kožu
🇨🇳 剥皮 (bāo pí)
🇸🇮 odrti
🇮🇸 fletta
🇰🇿 сою
🇬🇪 კანის აძრობა
🇦🇿 dəri soymaq
🇲🇽 desollar
Word origin
The word 'flay' originated from the Old English word 'flēan', meaning 'to skin'. The practice of flaying as a punishment has been documented in various ancient cultures, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Greeks. It was a brutal form of punishment used to instill fear and deter others from committing crimes. Over time, 'flay' has also been used metaphorically to describe harsh criticism or verbal attacks.