flannel

[ flan-l ]

noun

1. a soft, slightly napped fabric of wool or wool and another fiber, used for trousers, jackets, shirts, etc.
2. a soft, warm, light fabric of cotton or cotton and another fiber, thickly napped on one side and used for sleepwear, undergarments, sheets, etc.
3. flannels,
   1. an outer garment, especially trousers, made of flannel.
   2. woolen undergarments.
4. British.
   1. a washcloth.
   2. Informal. nonsense; humbug; empty talk.
   3. Informal. flattery; insincere or overdone praise.

verb (used with object)

, flan·neled, flan·nel·ing or (especially British,) flan·nelled, flan·nel·ling.

1. to cover or clothe with flannel.
2. to rub with flannel.

flannel

/ ˈflænəl /

noun

1. a soft light woollen fabric with a slight nap, used for clothing
2. plural trousers or other garments made of flannel
3. See cotton flannel
   See cotton flannel
4. a small piece of cloth used to wash the face and hands; face cloth US and Canadian equivalentwashcloth
5. informal.
   indirect or evasive talk; deceiving flattery

verb

1. to cover or wrap with flannel
2. to rub, clean, or polish with flannel
3. informal.
   to talk evasively to; flatter in order to mislead

Derived Forms

• ˈflannelly, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flannel¹

1300–50; Middle English flaunneol, perhaps dissimilated variant of flanyn sackcloth < Welsh; compare Welsh gwlanen woolen article, equivalent to gwlân wool (akin to Latin lāna ) + -en suffix denoting a single item (as a piece of a mass noun or singular of a collective plural)

Word History and Origins

Origin of flannel¹

C14: probably variant of flanen sackcloth, from Welsh gwlanen woollen fabric, from gwlân wool

Example Sentences

Avoid thick covers with flannel linings, as these can attract mice.

From Popular-Science

Casually dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, she arranges a couple of chairs and a slide projector.

From Washington Blade

Cotton flannels also provide additional protection by absorbing moisture from breath, Vicenzi and colleagues report March 8 in ACS Applied Nano Materials.

From Science News

He was wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt with more than one pen in the pocket, and he was both quick to smile and to qualify a point during our conversation.

From Nautilus

Leather gloves can be lined in cashmere, flannel or fleece materials.

From Popular-Science

Have you met the lumbersexual: all beards, flannel shirts, and work boots?

From The Daily Beast

Until then, men shall all wearily grow our facial hair, wear flannel, and confuse the hell out of each other out on the streets.

From The Daily Beast

It will prove so helpful, according to one radio flannel-mouth, that it was likely an act of strategic planning.

From The Daily Beast

We cared about your formerly firm stance against women who have Uncle Jessie mullets and wear flannel!

From The Daily Beast

There's a bearded, flannel-shirted movement afoot to ditch the Internet and reclaim the pre-digital life.

From The Daily Beast

Behold a dumpy, comfortable British paterfamilias in a light flannel suit and a faded sun hat.

From Project Gutenberg

His hat was pushed back from his forehead, the collar of his blue flannel shirt was open.

From Project Gutenberg

She was in a soiled dressing gown of purple flannel, with several of the buttons off.

From Project Gutenberg

A handkerchief, once red, with polka spots, contained a ragged flannel shirt and a stocking-heel tied with a piece of tape.

From Project Gutenberg

A piece of red flannel was wrapped around Mademoiselle's throat; a stiff neck compelled her to hold her head on one side.

From Project Gutenberg