flitch

American  

[flich] / flɪtʃ /

noun

1. the side of a hog (or, formerly, some other animal) salted and cured.

   a flitch of bacon.

2. a steak cut from a halibut.

3. Carpentry.

   1. a piece, as a board, forming part of a flitch beam.

   2. a thin piece of wood, as a veneer.

   3. a bundle of veneers, arranged as cut from the log.

   4. a log about to be cut into veneers.

   5. cant.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cut into flitches.

2. Carpentry. to assemble (boards or the like) into a laminated construction.

flitch British  

/ flɪtʃ /

noun

1. a side of pork salted and cured

2. a steak cut from the side of certain fishes, esp halibut

3. a piece of timber cut lengthways from a tree trunk, esp one that is larger than 4 by 12 inches

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verb

1. (tr) to cut (a tree trunk) into flitches

Other Word Forms

• unflitched
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of flitch

before 900; Middle English flicche, Old English flicca; cognate with Middle Low German vlicke, Old Norse flikki

Example Sentences

The prior, impressed by their devotion, gave them a flitch of bacon.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2024

Desmond and Minette Carter are among the far-flung flitch winners, having travelled to Essex from Detroit in 2022.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2024

Fitzwalter revealed his true identity and gave his land to the priory on the condition a flitch should be awarded to any couple who could claim they were similarly devoted.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2024

Almost three months of the wizened pay of the three-day week had been uncomfortable enough, but the strike that followed had nearly emptied the flour sack and gobbled up the last flitch of bacon.

From Time Magazine Archive

So he was allowed to go into the store-house himself, and there he hoisted a flitch of bacon on each shoulder, slid a batch of bread under each arm, and took leave.

From The Swedish Fairy Book by Various

Related Words

• carve
• divide
• rip
• slash
• slice