flak

American  

[flak] / flæk /

Or flack

noun

1. antiaircraft fire, especially as experienced by the crews of combat airplanes at which the fire is directed.

2. criticism; hostile reaction; abuse.

   Such an unpopular decision is bound to draw a lot of flak from the press.

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flak British  

/ flæk /

noun

1. anti-aircraft fire or artillery

2. informal a great deal of adverse criticism

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Etymology

Origin of flak

1935–40; < German Fl ( ieger ) a ( bwehr ) k ( anone ) antiaircraft gun, equivalent to Flieger aircraft (literally, flyer) + Abwehr defense + Kanone gun, cannon

Example Sentences

Treasuries have taken a lot of flak from Wall Street in recent years, because they stopped behaving like a safe haven.

From Barron's

Treasuries have taken a lot of flak from Wall Street in recent years, because they stopped behaving like a safe haven.

From Barron's

His comments about the New York Fed researchers needing to be “disciplined,” meanwhile, drew flak from respected economists including Claudia Sahm.

From MarketWatch

She has donned flak jackets on ICE raids, posed toting a large gun and recorded messages urging immigrants to self-deport.

From The Wall Street Journal

McCullum is desperate for success at the T20 World Cup in India, where England face the West Indies in Mumbai on Wednesday, after facing flak for the torrid 4-1 thumping in the Ashes.

From Barron's