/ fleɪk; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a small, very thin layer or piece of sth, especially one that has broken off from sth larger :
flakes of snow / paint
dried onion flakes
—see also cornflakes , snowflake , soap flakes
2.
( NAmE , informal ) a person who is strange or unusual or who forgets things easily
■ verb
1.
[ v ] flake (off) to fall off in small thin pieces :
You could see bare wood where the paint had flaked off.
His skin was dry and flaking.
2.
to break sth, especially fish or other food into small thin pieces; to fall into small thin pieces :
[ vn ]
Flake the tuna and add to the sauce.
flaked almonds
[also v ]
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PHRASAL VERBS
- flake out
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WORD ORIGIN
noun and verb Middle English : the immediate source is unknown, the senses perhaps deriving from different words; probably of Germanic origin and related to flag flagstone and flaw .
flake out. sense 1 late 15th cent. (in the senses become languid and (of a garment) fall in folds ): variant of obsolete flack and the verb flag to become tired . The current sense dates from the 1940s.