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flake out

 - 6 dictionary results

flake

4  [fleyk]
Use flake out in a Sentence
–verb, flaked, flak⋅ing. flake out, Slang.
to fall asleep; take a nap.
Origin:
1935–40; perh. expressive var. of flag 3 ; cf. Brit. dial. flack to hang loosely, flap
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To flake out
flake 1   (flāk)   
n.  

  1. A flat thin piece or layer; a chip.

  2. Archaeology A stone fragment removed from a core or from another flake by percussion or pressure, serving as a preform or as a tool or blade itself.

  3. A small piece; a bit.

  4. A small crystalline bit of snow.

  5. Slang A somewhat eccentric person; an oddball.

  6. Slang Cocaine.

v.   flaked, flak·ing, flakes

v.   tr.

  1. To remove a flake or flakes from; chip.

  2. To cover, mark, or overlay with or as if with flakes.

v.   intr.
To come off in flat thin pieces or layers; chip off.
Phrasal Verb(s):
flake out Slang

  1. To fall asleep or collapse from fatigue or exhaustion.

  2. To act in an odd or eccentric manner.

  3. To lose interest or nerve.


[Middle English; see plāk-1 in Indo-European roots.]
flak'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
flake (out)

  1. in.
    to pass out from exhaustion; to fall asleep. (See also flack (out).) : After jogging, I usually flake for a while.
  2. in.
    to fall asleep after drug use. (Drugs.) : An hour after she took the stuff, she just flaked.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

flake  (n.)
c.1330, possibly from O.E. *flacca "flakes of snow," from O.N. flak "loose or torn piece" (related to O.N. fla "to skin," see flay), from P.Gmc. *flak- (cf. M.Du. vlac "flat, level," M.H.G. vlach, Ger. Flocke "flake"); from the same PIE root as L. plaga "a flat surface, district, region." Flaky "eccentric, crazy" first recorded 1959, said to be Amer.Eng. baseball slang, but probably from earlier druggie slang flake "cocaine" (1920s). Flake "eccentric person" is a 1968 back-formation from flaky.
"The term 'flake' needs explanation. It's an insider's word, used throughout baseball, usually as an adjective; someone is considered 'flaky.' It does not mean anything so crude as 'crazy,' but it's well beyond 'screwball' and far off to the side of 'eccentric.' " ["New York Times," April 26, 1964]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Science Dictionary
flake   (flāk)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. A relatively thin, sharp-edged stone fragment removed from a core or from another flake by striking or prying, serving as a tool or blade itself or as a blank for making other tools. See more at flake tool.

  2. A small, symmetrical, six-sided crystal of snow. Flakes can be large or small and wet or dry, depending on weather conditions. They are white in color because of their large number of reflecting surfaces.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Idioms & Phrases

flake out

  1. Drop from exhaustion, faint. For example, After running the marathon, be simply flaked out on the ground. This expression possibly is derived from a now obsolete meaning of flake, "to become flabby or fall in folds." [Slang; c. 1940]

  2. Lie down, go to sleep, as in Homeless persons flaked out in doorways. [Slang; early 1940s]

  3. Lose one's nerve, as in Please don't flake out now. [Slang; 1950s]

  4. Go crazy; also, cause someone to go crazy. For example, She just flaked out and we had to call an ambulance, or This project is flaking us out. The usages in def. 3 and 4 probably are derived from the adjective flaky, meaning "eccentric." [c. 1970]

  5. Die, as in He flaked out last night. [1960s]

  6. Surprise, astonish, as in She said she'd just been made a partner, and that flaked me out. This usage appears to be a variant of freak out. [c. 1970]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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