Flail vs Cuff - What's the difference?
flail | cuff | Related terms |
A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.
His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn
That ten day-labourers could not end; * 1816 — *: Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail * 1842 — *: On him alone the curse of Cain
Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain,
And struck him to the earth! * 1879 — , ch V *: If the farmer must use the spade because he has not capital enough for a plough, the sickle instead of the reaping machine, the flail instead of the thresher... To beat using a flail or similar implement.
To wave or swing vigorously
*
* 1937 , ,
To thresh.
To move like a flail.
(obsolete) glove; mitten.
The end of a shirt sleeve that covers the wrist.
The end of a pants leg, folded up.
To hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.
* Shakespeare
* Dryden
To fight; to scuffle; to box.
* Dryden
To buffet.
* Tennyson
A blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.
* Spenser
* Hudibras
Flail is a related term of cuff.
In lang=en terms the difference between flail and cuff
is that flail is to move like a flail while cuff is to fight; to scuffle; to box.As nouns the difference between flail and cuff
is that flail is a tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material while cuff is (obsolete) glove; mitten or cuff can be a blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.As verbs the difference between flail and cuff
is that flail is to beat using a flail or similar implement while cuff is to furnish with cuffs or cuff can be to hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.flail
English
Noun
(en noun)Quotations
* 1631 — *: When in one night, ere glimpse of morn,His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn
That ten day-labourers could not end; * 1816 — *: Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail * 1842 — *: On him alone the curse of Cain
Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain,
And struck him to the earth! * 1879 — , ch V *: If the farmer must use the spade because he has not capital enough for a plough, the sickle instead of the reaping machine, the flail instead of the thresher...
Coordinate terms
*(weapon) nunchakuVerb
(en verb)- He stopped in his tracks – then, flailing his arms wildly in the air, began to stagger backwards.
- He was flailing wildly, but didn't land a blow.
Synonyms
* thrashSee also
* (wikipedia "flail") *cuff
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) cuffe, .Noun
(en noun)Etymology 2
1520, “to hit”, apparently of (etyl) origin, from (etyl) . More at (l), (l), (l).Verb
(en verb)- I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again.
- They with their quills did all the hurt they could, / And cuffed the tender chickens from their food.
- While the peers cuff to make the rabble sport.
- cuffed by the gale
Noun
(en noun)- Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies; / Who well it wards, and quitten cuff with cuff.
- Many a bitter kick and cuff .