flaunt
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flaunt
show off; display ostentatiously: She flaunted the large diamond in her engagement ring.
Not to be confused with:
flout – show contempt for; scoff at: He flouted convention by wearing shorts to the black tie affair.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
flaunt
(flônt)v. flaunt·ed, flaunt·ing, flaunts
v.tr.
1. To exhibit ostentatiously or shamelessly: flaunts his trendy clothes; flaunts his knowledge about music. See Synonyms at show.
2. Usage Problem To ignore or disregard (a rule, for example) openly or scornfully.
v.intr.
1. To show oneself off or move in an ostentatious way: "A tortoiseshell butterfly flaunted across the window" (Virginia Woolf).
2. To wave grandly: pennants flaunting in the wind.
[Origin unknown.]
flaunt′er n.
flaunt′ing·ly adv.
Usage Note: Flaunt as a transitive verb means "to exhibit ostentatiously": She flaunted her wealth. To flout is "to show contempt for something by disregarding it": Some people at the reception flouted convention by wearing sneakers. For some time now flaunt has been used in the sense "to show contempt for," even by educated users of English. But this usage is still widely seen as erroneous. In our 2009 survey, 73 percent of the Usage Panel rejected it in the sentence This is just another example of an executive flaunting the rules for personal gain.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
flaunt
(flɔːnt)vb
1. to display (possessions, oneself, etc) ostentatiously; show off
2. to wave or cause to wave freely; flutter
n
the act of flaunting
[C16: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian dialect flanta to wander about]
ˈflaunter n
ˈflauntingly adv
Usage: Flaunt is sometimes wrongly used where flout is meant: they must be prevented from flouting (not flaunting) the law
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
flaunt
(flɔnt)v.t.
1. to parade or display ostentatiously.
2. to ignore or treat with disdain; flout: expelled for flaunting regulations.
v.i. 3. to parade or display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly.
4. to wave conspicuously in the air.
[1560–70; of obscure orig.; compare Norwegian dial. flanta to show off]
flaunt′er, n.
flaunt′ing•ly, adv.
usage: Usage guides object strongly to flaunt in the sense “to ignore or treat with disdain,” advising that the proper word for this meaning is flout. Though this use of flaunt has appeared in the speech and edited writing of well-educated, literate people, many speakers and writers avoid it.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for ignore.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
flaunt
Past participle: flaunted
Gerund: flaunting
| Imperative |
|---|
| flaunt |
| flaunt |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | flaunt - the act of displaying something ostentatiously; "his behavior was an outrageous flaunt" display - exhibiting openly in public view; "a display of courage" |
| Verb | 1. | flaunt - display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously; "he showed off his new sports car" display, exhibit, expose - to show, make visible or apparent; "The Metropolitan Museum is exhibiting Goya's works this month"; "Why don't you show your nice legs and wear shorter skirts?"; "National leaders will have to display the highest skills of statesmanship" flex - exhibit the strength of; "The victorious army flexes its invincibility" splurge - be showy or ostentatious |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
flaunt
verb show off, display, boast, parade, exhibit, flourish, brandish, vaunt, showboat, make a (great) show of, sport (informal), disport, make an exhibition of, flash about openly flaunting their wealth
Usage: Flaunt is sometimes wrongly used where flout is meant: they must be prevented from flouting (not flaunting) the law.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
flaunt
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
flaunt
[flɔːnt] VT (pej) [+ wealth, knowledge] → alardear de, hacer alarde deto flaunt o.s → pavonearse
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
flaunt
(floːnt) verb to show off in order to attract attention to oneself. She flaunted her expensive clothes.ostentar, hacer alarde de
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.