View synonyms for flay

flay

[ fley ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to strip off the skin or outer covering of.
to criticize or scold with scathing severity.
Synonyms: upbraid, excoriate, castigate
to deprive or strip of money or property.

flay

/ fleɪ /

Origin of flay¹

before 900; Middle English flen, Old English flēan; cognate with Middle Dutch vlaen, Old Norse flā

Origin of flay¹

Old English flēan ; related to Old Norse flā to peel, Lithuanian plešti to tear

He was captured and—despite loud calls to flay him alive, lynch him, tear him apart, and the like—given a lengthy trial.

The Chicago Tribune took every chance to flay Truman, as The Wall Street Journal daily flays Obama.

Whoever advised President Obama to flay Israel publicly until this week should be fired.

Plus, view our gallery of celebrity professors—including Spike Lee, Bobby Flay, and Eliot Spitzer.

If one of you dare utter a syllable against this holy man, by Heaven, I will flay him alive.

But what, it may be asked, is the worth and use of a satire that drags out vices from their hiding-holes to flay them in sunshine?

But the personal aggression on the wit by the dunce, may fairly instigate the wit to flay the dunce.

He cuts off the head, grallochs the stag and begins to flay it.

And when that tongue gets going it can certainly flay a man alive, remarked Wheeler.

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