Part 177

Flake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flaked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Flaking.] To form into flakes. Pope.

Flake, v. i. To separate in flakes; to peel or scale off.

Flak"i*ness (?), n. The state of being flaky.

Flak"y (?), a. Consisting of flakes or of small, loose masses; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes or layers; flakelike.

What showers of mortal hail, what flaky fires!

Watts.

A flaky weight of winter's purest snows.

Wordsworth.

Flam (flm), n. [Cf. AS. fle·m, flm, flight. √ 84 . Cf. Flimflam.] A freak or whim; also, a falsehood; a lie; an illusory pretext; deception; delusion. [Obs.]

A perpetual abuse and flam upon posterity.

South.

Flam, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flammed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Flamming.] To deceive with a falsehood. [Obs.]

God is not to be flammed off with lies.

South.

Flam"beau (?); n.; pl. Flambeaux (#) or Flambeaus (#). [F., fr. OF. flambe flame, for flamble, from L. flammula a little flame, dim. of flamma flame. See Flame.] A flaming torch, esp. one made by combining together a number of thick wicks invested with a quick-burning substance (anciently, perhaps, wax; in modern times, pitch or the like); hence, any torch.

Flam*boy"ant (?), a. [F.] (Arch.) Characterized by waving or flamelike curves, as in the tracery of windows, etc.; -- said of the later (15th century) French Gothic style.

Flam*boy"er (?), n. [F. flamboyer to be bright.] (Bot.) A name given in the East and West Indies to certain trees with brilliant blossoms, probably species of CÊsalpinia.

Flame (flm), n. [OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. flame, flambe, F. flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr. flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo.] 1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.

2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. "In a flame of zeal severe." Milton.

Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow.

Pope.

Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame.

Pope.

3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. Coleridge.

4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. Thackeray.

Syn. -- Blaze; brightness; ardor. See Blaze.

Flame bridge, a bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5. -- Flame color, brilliant orange or yellow. B. Jonson. -- Flame engine, an early name for the gas engine. -- Flame manometer, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer. -- Flame reaction (Chem.), a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum. -- Flame tree (Bot.), a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia.

Flame, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flamed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Flaming.] [OE. flamen, flaumben, F. flamber, OF. also, flamer. See Flame, n.] 1. To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze.