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Flam vs Fleam - What's the difference?

flam | fleam |

As nouns the difference between flam and fleam

is that flam is a freak or whim while fleam is a sharp instrument used to open a vein, to lance gums, or the like.

As a verb flam

is to deceive with a falsehood.

flam

English

Etymology 1

17th century; from flim-flam, Flimflam / Claptrap], [http://www.word-detective.com The Word Detective, 2009–04–13 itself perhaps from a dialectal word or Scandinavian; compare Old Norse

Noun

(en noun)
  • A freak or whim.
  • A falsehood; a lie; an illusory pretext; deception; delusion.
  • * All pretences to the contrary are nothing but cant and cheat, flam and delusion. 1692
  • * South
    • A perpetual abuse and flam upon posterity.

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To deceive with a falsehood.
  • * South
    • God is not to be flammed off with lies.

    Etymology 2

    Imitative.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Two taps (a grace note followed by a full-volume tap) played very close together in order to sound like one slightly longer note.
    • Derived terms
    * flam paradiddle, flamadiddle

    References

    Anagrams

    * ----

    fleam

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sharp instrument used to open a vein, to lance gums, or the like.

    • Hypernyms

    * (sharp instrument)

    Derived terms

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----