Flail
verb
To wave or swing wildly.
The dancer flailed her arms energetically.
Often appears as...
- flail wildly
- flail around
noun
A type of tool used in farming to separate grains from their husks.
The farmer used a flail to thresh the wheat.
Often appears as...
- grain flail
- hand flail
verb
To struggle helplessly or clumsily.
He flailed about in the water, unable to swim.
Often appears as...
- flail in the water
- flail helplessly
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To wave or swing wildly.
The dancer flailed her arms energetically.
Often appears as...
- flail wildly
- flail around
noun
A type of tool used in farming to separate grains from their husks.
The farmer used a flail to thresh the wheat.
Often appears as...
- grain flail
- hand flail
verb
To struggle helplessly or clumsily.
He flailed about in the water, unable to swim.
Often appears as...
- flail in the water
- flail helplessly
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Indicates a loss of control or extreme emotion, often associated with panic or desperation.
He flailed wildly after hearing the shocking news.
Pro Tip 2/3Physical Exertion
Used to describe vigorous movements that require energy, sometimes leading to exhaustion.
After the long run, she flailed her arms, trying to catch her breath.
Pro Tip 3/3Lack of Skill
Can imply inexperience or inefficiency in physical tasks or sports.
The novice boxer flailed his arms, missing his opponent.
Compare with
beatflogpoundswatswingthrashwhackwhip
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Video examples
Deep ocean mysteries and...
And when we look, we find some amazing things. All the way down -- we call it the mid-water -- from the top of the ocean down to the bottom, we find life. Whenever we stop and look, we find life. I'm going to show you some jellies. They're absolutely some of the coolest creatures on Earth. Look at that thing, just flailing his arms around. That's like a little lobster.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 69 PIPE...
space where they actually drink so a lot of the little ones are trying to find areas of water that is not all muddied up you can see they use their trunk and they just kind of flail it's about on top of the surface tension just to break that to get to the cleaner water underneath but it is so cool to see you can see the other hood that was peacefully grazing
Video examples
How to find work you...
and I'm getting out of the water and of course half the kids are already finished, so they're cheering me on and they're all excited. And I got total popsicle head, if anyone's ever swam in the Bay, and I'm trying to just thaw my face out, and I'm watching people finish. And I see this one kid, something didn't look right. And he's just flailing like this.
Video examples
A lesson in classical...
people see the pianist with their arms flailing all around or scrunched up close to the piano as the better more mature pianist but that's that's not really the case in fact the pianist that sounds like him or her is having a worse time or it looks bored at the piano is
Video examples
What is déjà vu? What is...
using the same restaurant setting for each. First up is dual processing. We'll need an action. Let's go with a waiter dropping a tray of dishes. As the scene unfolds, your brain's hemispheres process a flurry of the waiter's flailing arms, his cry for help,
Video examples
The real reason female...
The next thing I know, I'm getting mouth-to-mouth and being rushed to the hospital to determine the extent of my brain loss. If I had been flailing at the water's surface, the lifeguard would have noticed and come to save me.
Video examples
Interview: Frans Lanting...
very slowly I don't flail my arms and I give him time to get used to my presence and without speaking to that bird I can indicate that that bird shouldn't have to worry about me because you know I'm respectful
Video examples
Baby Bison Takes on Wolf...
is no ordinary calf hopelessly outmatched to the courage of innocence he's not going down without a fight and the inexperienced wolf flails
Video examples
Polar Bear vs Walrus PIPE...
The flailing walrus is immensely powerful and drags the bear away from the shallows towards the safety of the herd.
Video examples
The Excavation of...
Winged goddesses protect the king who holds the crook and flail, symbols of royal power.
Video examples
Deep ocean mysteries and...
And when we look, we find some amazing things. All the way down -- we call it the mid-water -- from the top of the ocean down to the bottom, we find life. Whenever we stop and look, we find life. I'm going to show you some jellies. They're absolutely some of the coolest creatures on Earth. Look at that thing, just flailing his arms around. That's like a little lobster.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 69 PIPE...
space where they actually drink so a lot of the little ones are trying to find areas of water that is not all muddied up you can see they use their trunk and they just kind of flail it's about on top of the surface tension just to break that to get to the cleaner water underneath but it is so cool to see you can see the other hood that was peacefully grazing
Video examples
How to find work you...
and I'm getting out of the water and of course half the kids are already finished, so they're cheering me on and they're all excited. And I got total popsicle head, if anyone's ever swam in the Bay, and I'm trying to just thaw my face out, and I'm watching people finish. And I see this one kid, something didn't look right. And he's just flailing like this.
Video examples
A lesson in classical...
people see the pianist with their arms flailing all around or scrunched up close to the piano as the better more mature pianist but that's that's not really the case in fact the pianist that sounds like him or her is having a worse time or it looks bored at the piano is
Video examples
What is déjà vu? What is...
using the same restaurant setting for each. First up is dual processing. We'll need an action. Let's go with a waiter dropping a tray of dishes. As the scene unfolds, your brain's hemispheres process a flurry of the waiter's flailing arms, his cry for help,
Video examples
The real reason female...
The next thing I know, I'm getting mouth-to-mouth and being rushed to the hospital to determine the extent of my brain loss. If I had been flailing at the water's surface, the lifeguard would have noticed and come to save me.
Video examples
Interview: Frans Lanting...
very slowly I don't flail my arms and I give him time to get used to my presence and without speaking to that bird I can indicate that that bird shouldn't have to worry about me because you know I'm respectful
Video examples
Baby Bison Takes on Wolf...
is no ordinary calf hopelessly outmatched to the courage of innocence he's not going down without a fight and the inexperienced wolf flails
Video examples
Polar Bear vs Walrus PIPE...
The flailing walrus is immensely powerful and drags the bear away from the shallows towards the safety of the herd.
Video examples
The Excavation of...
Winged goddesses protect the king who holds the crook and flail, symbols of royal power.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Sutton Foster
American Actress
My No. 1 piece of advice, especially for someone who's an actor-singer-dancer - a triple threat, they're called! - people say, 'What's the most important?' I always say acting. Without knowing why you're singing or what you're singing about, it's just noise. And without knowing why you're moving your body, it's just flailing of arms.
Quote examples
Juliana Hatfield
American Musician
When I first started making music, I didn't really know what I was doing. I just wanted to write songs. I didn't have a concept. I didn't think it through. I was just flailing around doing what comes naturally. It took me a really long time to step back and deal with what I was doing with any kind of perspective or self-awareness.
Quote examples
Ana Kasparian
American Educator
Young people overwhelmingly supported Bernie because he wasn't the standard politician. He let his hands flail around as he passionately spoke about the issues that sincerely matter to him. He was real.
Quote examples
Kobe Bryant
American Basketball Player
We all know what flopping is when we see it. The stuff that you see is where guys aren't really getting hit at all and are just flailing around like a fish out of water.
Quote examples
Johnny Weir
American Athlete
I played soccer, and I was the kid who ran the wrong way, or I was pretending to be some sort of zebra and I would flail my arms and kick up my legs.
Quote examples
Eric Hoffer
American Writer
Action is at bottom a swinging and flailing of the arms to regain one's balance and keep afloat.
Quote examples
Gary Allan
American Musician
When you take other people's opinions, you end up flailing and you have no center.
Quote examples
Willie Stargell
American Baseball Player
I flailed my arm in a throwing motion before I could even walk.
Quote examples
Benjamin Walker
American Actor
I'd consider myself a flailing comedy writer.
Quote examples
Al Goldstein
American Publisher
Our stock in trade is raw, flailing sex.
Quote examples
Sutton Foster
American Actress
My No. 1 piece of advice, especially for someone who's an actor-singer-dancer - a triple threat, they're called! - people say, 'What's the most important?' I always say acting. Without knowing why you're singing or what you're singing about, it's just noise. And without knowing why you're moving your body, it's just flailing of arms.
Quote examples
Juliana Hatfield
American Musician
When I first started making music, I didn't really know what I was doing. I just wanted to write songs. I didn't have a concept. I didn't think it through. I was just flailing around doing what comes naturally. It took me a really long time to step back and deal with what I was doing with any kind of perspective or self-awareness.
Quote examples
Ana Kasparian
American Educator
Young people overwhelmingly supported Bernie because he wasn't the standard politician. He let his hands flail around as he passionately spoke about the issues that sincerely matter to him. He was real.
Quote examples
Kobe Bryant
American Basketball Player
We all know what flopping is when we see it. The stuff that you see is where guys aren't really getting hit at all and are just flailing around like a fish out of water.
Quote examples
Johnny Weir
American Athlete
I played soccer, and I was the kid who ran the wrong way, or I was pretending to be some sort of zebra and I would flail my arms and kick up my legs.
Quote examples
Eric Hoffer
American Writer
Action is at bottom a swinging and flailing of the arms to regain one's balance and keep afloat.
Quote examples
Gary Allan
American Musician
When you take other people's opinions, you end up flailing and you have no center.
Quote examples
Willie Stargell
American Baseball Player
I flailed my arm in a throwing motion before I could even walk.
Quote examples
Benjamin Walker
American Actor
I'd consider myself a flailing comedy writer.
Quote examples
Al Goldstein
American Publisher
Our stock in trade is raw, flailing sex.
Example 1 of 10
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