flail
flail — verb
- flailpresent simple I / you / we / they
- flailshe / she / it
- flailedpast simple
- flailing-ing form
1. to wave your arms, legs, or other body parts in a fast, uncontrolled way, especi
to wave your arms, legs, or other body parts in a fast, uncontrolled way, especially because you are panicking, struggling, or trying not to fall.
Caio slipped on the wet floor, flailing his arms wildly to catch himself.
flail + adverb: wildly / frantically
The toddler flailed her legs in excitement when she saw the bubbles in the bath.
Putri's legs flailed under water as she struggled to find the bottom of the pool.
A trapped bird flailed its wings against the window, desperate to escape.
Wei flailed his arms to get the lifeguard's attention after his surfboard drifted away.
- still
to stay still is the opposite of flailing about.
文法句型
flail + object (arms / legs / wings)
flail + adverb (wildly / about / frantically)
用法筆記
Subject is often a body part (arms, legs, wings) rather than a person. The movement is involuntary or panicked — do not use it for deliberate gestures like waving hello.
常見錯誤
2. to hit a person, animal, or object very hard, using a stick, whip, or heavy obje
to hit a person, animal, or object very hard, using a stick, whip, or heavy object, often in a wild or uncontrolled way.
The farmer flailed the tall weeds with a thick stick to clear the path.
flail + object + with + instrument
Lucas lost his temper and began flailing the punching bag with both fists.
In a tale, the knight flailed his opponent with the handle of his broken lance.
Romi's mother flailed the dusty carpet with a bamboo beater until the dirt flew out.
Caio flailed the overgrown bushes with a machete to open a way through the jungle.
- caress
a gentle touch is the opposite of a violent flailing blow.
文法句型
flail + noun phrase + with + noun (instrument)
用法筆記
Stronger and more violent than 'hit' or 'beat'. The striking motion is often sweeping or windmill-like rather than precise. Not used for skilled actions like boxing.
常見錯誤
flail — noun
- flailsingular
- flailsplural
1. a farm tool used long ago to beat grain crops such as wheat or barley, made from
a farm tool used long ago to beat grain crops such as wheat or barley, made from a long wooden handle with a shorter rod fixed loosely at one end so it can swing freely.
At the museum, Baraka examined a wooden flail that farmers once used to thresh wheat.
Medieval peasants lifted the flail high and brought the rod down onto the grain.
collocation: lift / swing a flail
The flail hung on the wall of the cottage, a relic from before combine harvesters.
Amani's grandfather owned a flail, though he used it only as a garden decoration.
A wooden flail could break open the husks of barley without crushing the grain inside.
- threshing tool
a descriptive phrase rather than a synonym; flail is the precise name.
文法句型
a/the flail
flail + of + material
用法筆記
A historical farm implement; in modern contexts the word is mostly used in museums, historical writing, or metaphorical expressions. Do not confuse it with the medieval weapon called a 'morning star' or 'mace' — a flail was a farming tool, not a weapon designed for combat.