■ noun
1》 a sudden brief burst of flame or light.
2》 a device producing a very bright flame as a signal or marker.
3》 a sudden burst of intense emotion.
4》 Photography extraneous illumination on film caused by internal reflection in the camera.
5》 a gradual widening towards the hem of a garment.
↘( ~s ) trousers of which the legs widen from the knees down.
6》 an upward and outward curve of a ship's bows.
■ verb
1》 burn, shine, or be revealed with a sudden intensity.
2》 (usu. ~ up ) suddenly become intense, angry, or violent.
3》 gradually become wider at one end.
↘(of the nostrils) dilate.
Derivatives
~d adjective
Origin
C16 (in the sense 'spread out one's hair'): of unknown origin.
Usage
Do not confuse ~ with flair : ~ means ‘burn’ or ‘gradually become wider’, whereas flair means ‘a natural ability or talent’. Trousers may be ~d , not flaired .