*flan*

a. [ L. circumflans, p. pr. of circumflare. ] Blowing around. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ See Drove. ] (Law) An ancient yearly payment made by some tenants to the king, or to their landlords, for the privilege of driving their cattle through a manor to fairs or markets. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Fairyland. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Flanches [ Prov. E., a projection, OF. flanche flank. See Flank. ] 1. A flange. [ R. ]. (Her.) A bearing consisting of a segment of a circle encroaching on the field from the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Flanches are always in pairs. A pair of flanches is considered one of the subordinaries. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Having flanches; -- said of an escutcheon with those bearings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] (Fencing) A thrust in the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. flânerie. See Flaneur. ] Lit., strolling; sauntering; hence, aimlessness; idleness; as, intellectual flânerie. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ F., fr. flâner to stroll. ] One who strolls about aimlessly; a lounger; a loafer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A miner's two-pointed pick. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prov. E. flange to project, flanch a projection. See Flanch, Flank. ] 1. An external or internal rib, or rim, for strength, as the flange of an iron beam; or for a guide, as the flange of a car wheel (see Car wheel.); or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A plate or ring to form a rim at the end of a pipe when fastened to the pipe. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blind flange, a plate for covering or closing the end of a pipe. --
Flange joint, a joint, as that of pipes, where the connecting pieces have flanges by which the parts are bolted together. Knight. --
Flange rail, a rail with a flange on one side, to keep wheels, etc. from running off. --
Flange turning, the process of forming a flange on a wrought iron plate by bending and hammering it when hot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flanged p. pr. & vb. n. Flanging ] (Mach.) To make a flange on; to furnish with a flange. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be bent into a flange. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a flange or flanges; as, a flanged wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. flanc, prob. fr. L. flaccus flabby, with n inserted. Cf. Flaccid, Flanch, Flange. ] 1. The fleshy or muscular part of the side of an animal, between the ribs and the hip. See Illust. of Beef. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) (a) The side of an army, or of any division of an army, as of a brigade, regiment, or battalion; the extreme right or left; as, to attack an enemy in flank is to attack him on the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

When to right and left the front Divided, and to either flank retired. Milton.

(b) (Fort.) That part of a bastion which reaches from the curtain to the face, and defends the curtain, the flank and face of the opposite bastion; any part of a work defending another by a fire along the outside of its parapet. See Illust. of Bastion. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) The side of any building. Brands. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That part of the acting surface of a gear wheel tooth that lies within the pitch line. [ 1913 Webster ]

Flank attack (Mil.), an attack upon the side of an army or body of troops, distinguished from one upon its front or rear. --
Flank company (Mil.), a certain number of troops drawn up on the right or left of a battalion; usually grenadiers, light infantry, or riflemen. --
Flank defense (Fort.), protection of a work against undue exposure to an enemy's direct fire, by means of the fire from other works, sweeping the ground in its front. --
Flank en potence (Mil.), any part of the right or left wing formed at a projecting angle with the line. --
Flank files, the first men on the right, and the last on the left, of a company, battalion, etc. --
Flank march, a march made parallel or obliquely to an enemy's position, in order to turn it or to attack him on the flank. --
Flank movement, a change of march by an army, or portion of one, in order to turn one or both wings of the enemy, or to take up a new position. --
Flanks of a frontier, salient points in a national boundary, strengthened to protect the frontier against hostile incursion. --
Flank patrol, detachments acting independently of the column of an army, but patrolling along its flanks, to secure it against surprise and to observe the movements of the enemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flanked p. pr. & vb. n. Flanking. ] [ Cf. F. flanquer. See Flank, n., and cf. Flanker, v. t. ] 1. To stand at the flank or side of; to border upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stately colonnades are flanked with trees. Pitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To overlook or command the flank of; to secure or guard the flank of; to pass around or turn the flank of; to attack, or threaten to attack; the flank of. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To border; to touch. Bp. Butler. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be posted on the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, flanks, as a skirmisher or a body of troops sent out upon the flanks of an army toguard a line of march, or a fort projecting so as to command the side of an assailing body. [ 1913 Webster ]

They threw out flankers, and endeavored to dislodge their assailants. W. Irwing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flankered p. pr. & vb. n. Flankering. ] [ See Flank, v. t. ] 1. To defend by lateral fortifications. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To attack sideways. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. flanelle, cf. OF. flaine a pillowcase, a mattress (?); fr. W. gwlanen flannel, fr. gwlan wool; prob. akin to E. wool. Cf. Wool. ] 1. A soft, nappy, woolen cloth, of loose texture. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a cotton fabric with a thick nap on one side, resembling flannel{ 1 }; it is used, e. g. for underwear or sheets; also called flanellette. [ PJC ]

3. pl. garments made of flannel, especially underwear. [ PJC ]

4. a washcloth. [ Brit. ] [ PJC ]

5. humbug; nonsensical or evasive talk. [ Brit. informal ] [ PJC ]

6. insincere flattery or praise. [ Brit. informal ] [ PJC ]

Adam's flannel. (Bot.) See under Adam. --
Canton flannel,
Cotton flannel. See Cotton flannel, under Cotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) any of several handsome evergreen shrubs of California and Northern Mexico having downy lobed leaves and showy yellow flowers.
Syn. -- California beauty. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a flat cake of thin batter fried on both sides on a griddle; a pancake; a flapjack.
Syn. -- pancake, battercake, flapcake, flapjack, griddlecake, hotcake, hot cake. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Covered or wrapped in flannel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a cotton imitation of flannel.
Syn. -- flannel{ 2 }. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. (Bot.) (a) The common mullein. (b) A Brazilian apocynaceous vine (Macrosiphonia longiflora) having woolly leaves. (c) An umbelliferous Australian flower (Actinotus helianthi), often erroneously thought to be composite. The involucre looks as if cut out of white flannel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Made or consisting of flannel. [ Obs. ] “Flannen robes.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. (Mil.) To go beyond, or be superior to, on the flank; to pass around or turn the flank or flanks of. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: To outmaneuver in a competition; to bypass a competitor's main defenses. [ PJC ]