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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A soft woven cloth of wool or a blend of wool and cotton or synthetics.
  2. n. Outer clothing, especially trousers, made of this cloth.
  3. n. Underclothing made of this cloth.
  4. n. Flannelette.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A warm loosely woven woolen stuff used especially for undergarments, bed-covering, etc., but also to some extent for outer garments, in styles adapted for that purpose. Some flannels have both sides alike; others have a long nap on one side and none on the other.
  2. n. A warming drink; hot gin and beer seasoned with nutmeg, sugar, etc.
  3. n. A person of homely or uncouth dress, exterior, or manners.
  4. Made of flannel; consisting of flannel: as, flannel clothing.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A soft cloth material woven from wool, possibly combined with cotton or synthetic fibers.
  2. n. A washcloth.
  3. n. Soothing plausible untruth and half truth, claptrap - "Don't talk flannel" http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/56/messages/708.htmlhttp://dictionary.reverso.net/english-synonyms/claptraphttp://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19971103
  4. adj. made of flannel

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A soft, nappy, woolen cloth, of loose texture.
  2. n. a cotton fabric with a thick nap on one side, resembling flannel{1}; it is used, e. g. for underwear or sheets; also called flanellette.
  3. n. garments made of flannel, especially underwear.
  4. n. a washcloth.
  5. n. humbug; nonsensical or evasive talk.
  6. n. insincere flattery or praise.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. bath linen consisting of a piece of cloth used to wash the face and body
  2. n. a soft light woolen fabric; used for clothing
  3. n. (usually in the plural) trousers made of flannel or gabardine or tweed or white cloth

Etymologies

  1. Middle English, a kind of woolen cloth or garment, perhaps variant of flanyn, sackcloth, probably from Old French flaine, a kind of coarse wool.

Examples

  • “If he did not already wear flannel waistcoats, let it be winter or summer, I should recommend him immediately to do so: if it be winter, I should advise him also to take to _flannel_ drawers.”

    Advice to a Mother on the Management of Her Children

  • “It has an independent drugstore; men in flannel browsing around the Power Center, which sells lawn mowers and chain saws; and four kinds of potato salad in the Piggly Wiggly.”

    The Washington Post: Fear, frustration reign at the polls

  • “You think Han Solo would look better in flannel cause he looks a little sissy in that vest.”

    SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles - Part 1037

  • “If you're going to be a bunch of beards in flannel shirts like every other hipster group you should at least have some original stuff and come out swinging.”

    Last Night « PubliCola

  • “Across the street, a mysterious arm clad in flannel pulls the curtain aside to watch the girls go into the house.”

    Movie: Sorority House Massacre 2 « Michael in Nashville

  • “A hot stone wrapped in Welsh flannel for the sick man's feet, a long and vigorous rub for chest and throat and ribs, down to the waist, with an ointment of goose-grease impregnated with mustard and other heat-giving herbs, and chest and throat then swathed in a strip of the same flannel, cool cloths on the dry forehead, and a hot draught of wine mulled with spices and borage and other febrifuge herbs.”

    Monk's Hood

  • “The philosophers dressed themselves in flannel shirts, and built themselves a rough shelter in the Adirondacks.”

    Runner of the Mountain Tops: The Life of Louis Agassiz

  • “There was suspicion in the gesture with which, when we were back in the drawing-room he picked up the flannel from the work-table.”

    The Return of the Soldier

  • “The whole business – followed by highwaymen in flannel shirts and revolvers.”

    Tish

  • “There were other loafers in flannel shirts, hitched up trousers and greasy felt or cabbage-tree hats, and there were two or three blacks of the demoralised type seen in coast townships.”

    Lady Bridget in the Never-Never Land

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‘flannel’ has been looked up 1443 times, added to 24 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 10.