fleer

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English

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Etymology 1

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Possibly from a Scandinavian source, compare Norwegian bokmål flire (to giggle), Jutish Danish flire.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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fleer (third-person singular simple present fleers, present participle fleering, simple past and past participle fleered)

  1. (archaic) To make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn
    Synonyms: deride, sneer, mock, gibe; see also Thesaurus:deride
  2. (archaic) To grin with an air of civility; to leer.
    Synonyms: fligger; see also Thesaurus:to smile
    • 1552, Hugh Latimer, The Fifth Sermon Preached on the Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Trinity, 1552; republished in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, and Constant Martyr of Jesus Christ, Hugh Latimer, Some Time Bishop of Worcester, volume 2, London: James Duncan, 1824, page 212:
      In the time of popery, before the gospel came amongst us, we went to burials with weeping and wailing, as though there were no God: but since the gospel came unto us, I have heard say, that in some places they go with the corses grinning and flearing, as though they went to a bear-baiting; []
Translations
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Noun

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fleer (uncountable)

  1. (archaic) Mockery; derision.
    • 1720, Jonathan Swift, To Stella, visiting me in my sickness:
      [] And flattery tipt with nauseous fleer,
      And guilty shame, and servile fear,
      Envy, and cruelty, and pride,
      Will in your tainted heart preside.

Etymology 2

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From flee +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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fleer (plural fleers)

  1. One who flees.
    • 1598, R. Grenewey, Annales, translation of original by Tacitus:
      Which fear of the fleers away was no less ignominious, then if [] they had turned their backs to the enemie.

Anagrams

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