[flaunt] vb [perh. of Scand origin; akin to ON flana to rush around--more at planet] vi (1566) 1: to display or obtrude oneself to public notice
2: to wave or flutter showily "the flag ~s in the breeze" ~ vt 1: to display ostentatiously or impudently: parade "~ing his superiority"
2: to treat contemptuously "~ed the rules --Louis Untermeyer" syn see show -- flaunt n -- flaunt.ing.ly adv -- flaunty adj usage Although transitive sense
2. of flaunt undoubtedly arose from confusion with flout, the contexts in which it appears cannot be called substandard "meting out punishment to the occasional mavericks who operate rigged games, tolerate rowdyism, or otherwise flaunt the law --Oscar Lewis" "observed with horror the flaunting of their authority in the suburbs, where men ... put up buildings that had no place at all in a Christian commonwealth --Marchette Chute" "in our profession ... very rarely do we publicly chastise a colleague who has flaunted our most basic principles --R. T. Blackburn, AAUP Bull.". If you use it, however, you should be aware that many people will consider it a mistake. Use of flout in the sense of flaunt 1 is found occasionally ""The proper pronunciation," the blonde said, flouting her refined upbringing, "is pree feeks" --Mike Royko".