flannel

American  

[flan-l] / ˈflæn 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.

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verb (used with object)

flanneled, flanneling, flannelled, flannelling

1. to cover or clothe with flannel.

2. to rub with flannel.

flannel British  

/ 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

4. US and Canadian equivalent: washcloth.  a small piece of cloth used to wash the face and hands; face cloth

5. informal indirect or evasive talk; deceiving flattery

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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

Other Word Forms

• flannelly adjective

Etymology

Origin of flannel

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)

Example Sentences

I had imagined a few families gathered on flannel blankets, eating hot dogs and popsicles.

From Literature

When Mama put a piece of flannel cloth on my chest with the kerosene and turpentine remedy on it, I made her put one on Miss Zeldy, too.

From Literature

Meanwhile, a vest required some internal structure and a fabric to support it—a wool gabardine, say, or a flannel.

From Literature

His shaggy, blond hair was caught under a blue knit winter hat, and his checkered flannel coat guarded him from the winter weather that still chilled the air in late March.

From Literature

Coal took one of Door’s big flannel shirts to switch up what he was wearing and prevent immediate identification.

From Literature