flaunt

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Of North Germanic origin. Perhaps related to Norwegian flanta (to show off, wander about), Icelandic flana (to rush about, act rashly or heedlessly) and then also to French flâner (to wander around, loiter).

Alternatively, it could be related to Swedish flankt (loosely, flutteringly) (compare English flaunt-a-flaunt), from flanka (waver, hang and wave about, ramble), a nasalised variant of flakka (to waver), related to Middle English flacken (to move to and fro, flutter, palpitate). See flack.

Alternative forms[edit]

Verb[edit]

flaunt (third-person singular simple present flaunts, present participle flaunting, simple past and past participle flaunted)

  1. (intransitive, archaic) To wave or flutter smartly in the wind.
    • 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Library of America, 1985, p.26:
      The house came into sight, above the cedar grove beyond whose black interstices an apple orchard flaunted in the sunny afternoon.
  2. (transitive) To parade, display with ostentation.
    She's always flaunting her designer clothes.
    • 2017 June 7, Adam Lusher, “Adnan Khashoggi: the 'whoremonger' whose arms deals funded a playboy life of decadence and 'pleasure wives'”, in The Independent[1], London:
      Never one to miss an opportunity to flaunt his wealth, Khashoggi let his yacht be used for the 1983 Bond film Never Say Never Again.
  3. (intransitive, archaic or literary) To show off, as with flashy clothing.
Usage notes[edit]
  • Not to be confused with flout.
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

flaunt (plural flaunts)

  1. (obsolete) Anything displayed for show.

Etymology 2[edit]

Verb[edit]

flaunt (third-person singular simple present flaunts, present participle flaunting, simple past and past participle flaunted)

  1. (proscribed) To flout.
    • 2017 January 20, David Shepardson, “Outgoing FCC chair warns against overturning net neutrality”, in Reuters[2]:
      Wheeler said companies already are flaunting the rules by offering free or sponsored data services for some products.