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Slap vs Flail - What's the difference?

slap | flail | Related terms |

Slap is a related term of flail.


As nouns the difference between slap and flail

is that slap is a blow, especially one given with the open hand, or with something broad and flat while 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.

As verbs the difference between slap and flail

is that slap is to give a slap while flail is to beat using a flail or similar implement.

As an adverb slap

is exactly, precisely.

slap

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A blow, especially one given with the open hand, or with something broad and flat.
  • The sound of such a blow.
  • (slang, uncountable) Makeup, cosmetics.
  • Usage notes

    Especially used of blows to the face (aggressive), buttocks, and hand, frequently as a sign of reproach. Conversely, used of friendly strikes to the back, as a sign of camaraderie.

    Hyponyms

    * cuff

    Derived terms

    * bitch-slap * slap in the face * pimp-slap

    Verb

    (slapp)
  • To give a slap.
  • She slapped him in response to the insult.
  • * 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 1
  • Mrs. Flanders rose, slapped her coat this side and that to get the sand off, and picked up her black parasol.
  • To cause something to strike soundly.
  • He slapped the reins against the horse's back.
  • To place, to put carelessly.
  • We'd better slap some fresh paint on that wall.

    Derived terms

    * slapper * slap-up

    Hyponyms

    * cuff

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Exactly, precisely
  • He tossed the file down slap in the middle of the table.

    Synonyms

    * just * right * slap bang * smack dab

    Anagrams

    * (l), (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) ----

    flail

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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.
  • 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) nunchaku

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To beat using a flail or similar implement.
  • To wave or swing vigorously
  • *
  • * 1937 , ,
  • He stopped in his tracks – then, flailing his arms wildly in the air, began to stagger backwards.
  • To thresh.
  • To move like a flail.
  • He was flailing wildly, but didn't land a blow.

    Synonyms

    * thrash

    See also

    * (wikipedia "flail") *