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Flay: meaning, definitions and examples

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flay

 

[ fleɪ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

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

peel, skin, strip.

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.
Context #2 | Verb

criticism

To criticize severely or harshly. To flay someone verbally means to attack or scold them with strong language.

Synonyms

berate, condemn, criticize.

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

Etymology

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.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,322 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.