verb
flay
flay
verb
1
To strip the skin from a body.
"The ancient myth describes the god being flayed alive."
2
To criticize someone harshly and mercilessly.
"The critics flayed the film for its weak script."
How to Use Flay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLiterally, to strip off skin; figuratively, to criticize someone brutally.
Common pairings
flay alive
flay someone in a review
Word Forms
flayed past tense, flayed past tense, flaid past tense, flew past tense, flain past tense, flays plural, Flays plural, flays singular, flays singular
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Etymology
From Old English flean, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to strip."