What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Wriggle vs Flail - What's the difference?

wriggle | flail |

In lang=en terms the difference between wriggle and flail

is that wriggle is to cause to or make something wriggle while flail is to move like a flail.

As verbs the difference between wriggle and flail

is that wriggle is to twist one's body to and fro with short, writhing motions; to squirm while flail is to beat using a flail or similar implement.

As nouns the difference between wriggle and flail

is that wriggle is a wriggling movement 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.

wriggle

English

Verb

(wriggl)
  • To twist one's body to and fro with short, writhing motions; to squirm.
  • Teachers often lose their patience when children wriggle in their seats.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • Both he and successors would often wriggle in their seats, as long as the cushion lasted.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1972 , author=Carlos Castañeda , title=The teachings of Don Juan: a Yaqui way of knowledge , page=78 citation , passage=I tried to ease my grip, but my hands were sweating so profusely that the lizards began to wriggle out of them.}}
  • To cause to or make something wriggle.
  • He was sitting on the lawn, wriggling his toes in the grass.

    Derived terms

    * wriggler * wriggly

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A wriggling movement.
  • Anagrams

    *

    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") *