flint

¹

[ flint ]

noun

1. a hard stone, a form of silica resembling chalcedony but more opaque, less pure, and less lustrous.
2. a piece of this, especially as used for striking fire.
3. a chunk of this used as a primitive tool or as the core from which such a tool was struck.
4. something very hard or unyielding.
5. a small piece of metal, usually an iron alloy, used to produce a spark to ignite the fuel in a cigarette lighter.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with flint.

Flint

²

[ flint ]

noun

1. Austin, 1812–86, U.S. physician: founder of Bellevue and Buffalo medical colleges.
2. his son Austin, 1836–1915, U.S. physiologist and physician.
3. a city in SE Michigan.
4. Flintshire.

flint

¹

/ flɪnt /

noun

1. an impure opaque microcrystalline greyish-black form of quartz that occurs in chalk. It produces sparks when struck with steel and is used in the manufacture of pottery, flint glass, and road-construction materials. Formula: SiO 2
2. any piece of flint, esp one used as a primitive tool or for striking fire
3. a small cylindrical piece of an iron alloy, used in cigarette lighters
4. Also calledflint glasswhite flint colourless glass other than plate glass
5. See optical flint
   See optical flint

verb

1. tr to fit or provide with a flint

Flint

²

/ flɪnt /

noun

1. a town in NE Wales, in Flintshire, on the Dee estuary. Pop: 11 936 (2001)
2. a city in SE Michigan: closure of the car production plants led to a high level of unemployment. Pop: 120 292 (2003 est)

flint

/ flĭnt /

1. A very hard, gray to black variety of chalcedony that makes sparks when it is struck with steel. It breaks with a conchoidal fracture.
2. The dark gray to black variety of chert.

Other Words From

• flintlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flint¹

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Middle Dutch vlint, Danish flint; plinth

Word History and Origins

Origin of flint¹

Old English; related to Old High German flins , Old Swedish flinta splinter of stone, Latin splendēre to shine

Example Sentences

“If you are a waiter, you can make twice as much in Austin relative to Flint,” remarked Moretti.

From The Daily Beast

That side is volunteering extensively in his hometown of Flint, and recently, pastoring Charity United Methodist Church.

From The Daily Beast

The third eaglet was never found despite a search by the Flint Creek volunteers and the landowner.

From The Daily Beast

Born in Flint, Michigan, Bragman says he was a “fat gay Jewish kid… who grew up to be a Martian.”

From The Daily Beast

Either way, a whistle, just a flint of music, rang out that Sunday.

From The Daily Beast

When the men worked on their flint points, Fleetfoot liked to play near the workshop.

From Project Gutenberg

While the men struck off large flint flakes, Fleetfoot played not far away.

From Project Gutenberg

Straightshaft let him try, but Fleetfoot was not strong enough to press off hard flint flakes.

From Project Gutenberg

Can you think of any way of removing little pieces of flint besides striking them off?

From Project Gutenberg

Scarface always used flakes of flint for the points of spears and javelins.

From Project Gutenberg