Flay

Pronunciation: /fleɪ/

Definitions of flay

verb to strip off the skin or outer covering of something, especially as a form of punishment or torture

Example Sentences

A1 The chef carefully flayed the fish before cooking it.

A2 She flayed the old wallpaper off the walls to prepare for painting.

B1 The criminal threatened to flay his victim if he didn't cooperate.

B2 The artist used a sharp knife to flay the canvas and create intricate designs.

C1 The dictator's regime was known to flay anyone who spoke out against them.

C2 The skilled surgeon was able to flay the skin with precision during the delicate procedure.

Examples of flay in a Sentence

formal The criminal was sentenced to be flayed as punishment for his heinous crimes.

informal I can't believe she flayed her ex-boyfriend on social media like that.

slang He got absolutely flayed in the basketball game last night.

figurative Her harsh words seemed to flay his self-esteem.

Grammatical Forms of flay

• past tense: flayed
• plural: flays
• comparative: more flay
• superlative: most flay
• present tense: flays
• future tense: will flay
• perfect tense: has flayed
• continuous tense: is flaying
• singular: flay
• positive degree: flay
• infinitive: to flay
• gerund: flaying
• participle: flaying

Origin and Evolution of flay

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'flay' originated from the Old English word 'flēan' which means to strip off the skin or outer covering of something.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'flay' has retained its original meaning of skinning or stripping off the outer covering of something, but it is now also used metaphorically to mean to severely criticize or scold someone.