Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense flakes, present participle flaking, past tense, past participle flaked
1. countable noun [noun NOUN]
A flake is a small thin piece of something, especially one that has broken off a larger piece.
...flakes of paint.
Large flakes of snow began swiftly to fall.
...oat flakes.
Synonyms: chip, scale, layer, peeling More Synonyms of flake
2. verb
If something such as paint flakes, small thin pieces of it come off.
They can see how its colours have faded and where paint has flaked. [VERB]
Flake off means the same as flake.
The surface corrosion was worst where the paint had flaked off. [VERBPARTICLE]
3. ergative verb
If a food such as fish flakes, or if you flake it, it breaks into small thin pieces.
Fry until the fish flakes. [VERB]
Skin, bone and flake the fish. [VERB noun]
...flaked almonds. [VERB-ed]
Phrasal verbs:
See flake off
See flake out
More Synonyms of flake
flake in British English1
(fleɪk)
noun
1.
a small thin piece or layer chipped off or detached from an object or substance; scale
2.
a small piece or particle
a flake of snow
3.
a thin layer or stratum
4. archaeology
a.
a fragment removed by chipping or hammering from a larger stone used as a tool or weapon
See also blade
b.
(as modifier)
flake tool
5. slang, mainly US
an eccentric or unreliable person
verb
6.
to peel or cause to peel off in flakes; chip
7.
to cover or become covered with or as with flakes
8. (transitive)
to form into flakes
Derived forms
flaker (ˈflaker)
noun
Word origin
C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian flak disc, Middle Dutch vlacken to flutter
flake in British English2
(fleɪk)
noun
a rack or platform for drying fish or other produce
Word origin
C14: from Old Norse flaki; related to Dutch vlaak hurdle
flake in British English3
(fleɪk)
verb
nautical another word for fake1
flake in British English4
(fleɪk)
noun
(in Australia) the commercial name for the meat of the gummy shark
flake in American English1
(fleɪk)
noun
1.
a small, thin mass
a flake of snow
2.
a thin piece or layer split off or peeled off from anything; chip
3. US, Slang
an eccentric, unbalanced, or irrational person
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: flaked or ˈflaking
4.
to form into flakes
5.
to chip or peel off in flakes
6.
to make or become spotted with flakes
Derived forms
flaker (ˈflaker)
noun
Word origin
ME < Scand, as in Norw flak, ice floe, ON flakna, to flake off < IE *plāg, flat < base *plā- > plain1
flake in American English2
(fleɪk)
noun
a platform or rack for storing or drying food
Word origin
ME flake, fleke < ON flaki, fleki, hurdle < IE base *pel-, to cover > fell4
flake in American English3
(fleɪk)
verb transitiveWord forms: flaked or ˈflaking
rare var. of
fake2
Idioms:
flake out
Word origin
prob. specialized use of flake1
Examples of 'flake' in a sentence
flake
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and chilli flakes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Cover the loaf liberally with sea salt flakes.
The Sun (2016)
As soon as the garlic begins to brown add the chilli flakes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Remove the clingfilm, flake the fish and discard any bones and skin.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Drizzle them with the oil, add the salt flakes and shake the pan again.
The Sun (2016)
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 30 seconds before adding the passata.
The Sun (2016)
It consisted of small flakes of bark, which is very loose on pine trees and easily knocked off.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Sprinkle salt flakes on top.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Flake fish off the skin, watching for bones, into the soup.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Stir the chilli flakes into the onions and peppers and then add the chopped tomatoes.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Then remove and flake the meat from the bones and put to one side.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Flake the skinned fish over the top and fold together.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We relaxed in the hot tub with snow flakes melting on our heads.
The Sun (2007)
Are there any signs of flaked or mismatched paint anywhere?
Croft, James Corporate Cloak and Dagger (1994)
Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve.
The Sun (2014)
When she rubbed her fingers together it flaked off in small curls like shavings from a rubber.
various & introduction by Deirdre Chapman A Roomful of Birds - Scottish short stories 1990 (1990)
Season the skin with sea salt flakes.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Remove from the grill and scatter with parsley and chilli flakes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Sprinkle the flakes of hot meat over the warm hoummos and serve straight away.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Flake the fish in small pieces over the top and add the chopped egg.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Stir in the rye flakes and oats.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Put the salmon fillets on top and sprinkle with the sea salt flakes.
The Sun (2014)
Small flakes of snow drift about without conviction.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Season the chicken skin with salt flakes to make it very crisp.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Remove all the white meat and flake into the bowl.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Flake the fish free of skin and bones.
Conil, Jean & Conil, Christopher (ed) A Passion for Food (1989)
Its flesh is slightly softer and may flake into pieces if cooked for too long or over too intense a heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Trees are single dark strokes, elsewhere the paint drips and flakes.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
This is a flake of bone or cartilage floating around the joint - maybe you also damaged your knee when you injured your foot.
The Sun (2009)
Remove from the pan, cool, then flake into large pieces.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Warm the fish, peel off the skin, check for bones and flake over the rice.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Word lists with
flake
terms used in archaeology
In other languages
flake
British English: flake NOUN
A flake is a small thin piece of something, especially one that has broken off a larger piece.
...flakes of paint.
American English: flake
Brazilian Portuguese: floco
Chinese: 小薄片 >尤指碎片
European Spanish: desconchón
French: écaille
German: Splitter
Italian: scaglia
Japanese: 破片
Korean: 얇은 조각
European Portuguese: floco
Latin American Spanish: desconchón
All related terms of 'flake'
flake off
flake out
If you flake out , you collapse, go to sleep, or totally relax because you are very tired .
fish flake
a platform on which fish are dried
flake white
a pigment made from flakes of white lead
lead white
a poisonous pigment used in painting , consisting of white lead and characterized chiefly by a fugitive white color , covering power, and tough , flexible film-forming properties
Chinese translation of 'flake'
flake
(fleɪk)
n(c)
[of rust, paint]薄片 (báopiàn)
[of snow]片 (piàn)
vi
[paint, enamel] (also flake off) 剥(剝)落 (bōluò)
(noun)
Definition
to peel or cause to peel off in flakes
flakes of paint
Synonyms
chip
His eyes gleamed like chips of blue glass.
scale
a thing with scales all over its body
layer
peeling
shaving
The floor was covered with shavings from his wood carvings.
disk
wafer
sliver
A sliver of glass was embedded in the skin.
lamina
squama (biology)
(verb)
Some of the shell had flaked away.
Synonyms
chip
scale (off)
peel (off)
blister
desquamate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of scale
Definition
a thin flat piece or flake
a thing with scales all over its body
Synonyms
flake,
plate,
layer,
lamina
in the sense of shaving
Definition
a thin slice of something such as wood, which has been shaved off
The floor was covered with shavings from his wood carvings.
Synonyms
flake,
strip,
slice,
wafer,
lamella
in the sense of sliver
Definition
a small thin piece that is cut or broken off lengthwise