name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
fleer
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Australian, Received-Pronunciation: /flɪə/
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US: /flɪɚ/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Scotland: /fliɹ/
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New-Zealand: /fliə/
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/flɛː/ East Anglia, cheer–chair merger
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rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)
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homophone: flair
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homophone: flare (both cheer–chair merger)
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/ˈfliːə(ɹ)/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -iːə(ɹ)
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CMU ARPABET: F L IH1 R Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
Mockery; derision.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
One who flees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deride, sneer, mock, gibe, badger, bam, barrack, brock, bullyrag, chiack, fleer, fligger, flite, geck, heckle, hound, jeer, nip, outlaugh, poke borack, ridicule, scoff, taunt, twit, gird, jibe, laugh at, scorn
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To grin with an air of civility; to leer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fligger
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
contempt expressed by mockery in looks or words
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: contempt, scorn
noun
Meaning 7
someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- fugitives from the sweatshops
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fugitive, runaway
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul
verb
Meaning 8
to smirk contemptuously
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: smirk, simper
History
Etymology
Possibly from a Scandinavian source, compare Norwegian bokmål flire (“to giggle”), Jutish Danish flire.
Etymology tree English flee Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English fleer From flee + -er.
Across languages
Translations
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: усмихвам се презрително (usmihvam se prezritelno) — to make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn
- Czech: vysmívat se — to make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn
- Russian: ухмыля́ться (uxmyljátʹsja) — to make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn
- Swedish: hånle — to make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn