| 单词 | flay |
| 释义 | flay (once / 3274 pages) v Nasty word, flay. It means to peel or beat the skin of a person or animal, and not necessarily a dead one, either. Nowadays it more commonly means to criticize harshly someone or something, usually in public, leaving them raw and wounded. To be flayed alive was a common punishment in ancient times for political enemies or traitors. The ancient Assyrians and the Chinese were particularly good at it. Today, if you want to have your skin — metaphorically — peeled in public, you go on reality TV. It can be equally nasty. WORD FAMILYflay: flayed, flaying, flays USAGE EXAMPLESWe are invited to sit back and watch as these two and their offspring plot and scheme and verbally flay the skin off each other. Los Angeles Times(Dec 15, 2016) As Mr. Christie’s reputation was repeatedly flayed in federal court this month, Mr. Cuomo declined to pile on. New York Times(Oct 30, 2016) Her speech condemning him was in the rhetorical league of Cicero flaying Catiline, and with better reason. The Guardian(Oct 29, 2016) v strip the skin off Hyper pare, peel, skin strip the skin off |
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