flaw

CEFRC1

/flɔː/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A mistake, weakness, or fault in something.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A crack or breach, a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion.

Examples

  • I can't find a single flaw in her theory.

  • My technique is without flaw.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
4

Also pronounced

  • /floː/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A thin cake, as of ice.

  2. A flake, fragment, or shiver.

  3. A defect, fault, or imperfection, especially one that is hidden.

More examples

In context

  • There is a flaw in that knife.

  • a flaw in a will, in a deed, or in a statute

  • That vase has a flaw.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Inspect the diamond for any tiny blank before you purchase such an expensive gem.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English flawe, flay (“a flake of fire or snow, spark, splinter”), probably from Old Norse flaga (“a flag or slab of stone, flake”), from Proto-Germanic *flagō (“a layer of soil”), from Proto-Indo-European *plok- (“broad, flat”). Cognate with Icelandic flaga (“flake”), Swedish flaga (“flake, scale”), Danish flage (“flake”), Middle Low German vlage (“a layer of soil”), Old English flōh (“a fragment, piece”).