Confusing Words Clarified: Group F; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, etc. +

Capable of being set on fire and of burning quickly: "Gasoline is a very flammable liquid."

Easily excited, aroused, or angered: "The man had an inflammable temper when he felt he was being wronged" is a proper usage, but it should no longer be used with reference to something that will not burn.

The word inflammable actually means "able to burn"; while nonflammable means "unable (or unlikely) to burn".

The prefix in-, used with inflammable is an intensifier not a "negative" as with such words as inhospitable, inhuman, insensible, indecent, inadequate, etc. It has been a mistake believed by many people that inflammable meant "not flammable" and some serious injuries resulted over the years because of this misunderstanding.

As a consequence, many English-speaking countries passed laws that have required manufacturers of materials and substances that burn easily to use the word flammable in place of inflammable, which is considered less ambiguous or confusing.

So remember that inflammable comes from inflame, which in this case means "to set on fire" and not from in-, "not" + flammable, "combustible".

Not flammable, especially not readily ignited and not rapidly burned: "It is much more realistic that people use nonflammable or non-flammable instead of inflammable when they mean that something cannot burn or is very difficult to burn."

1. To blaze up with a sudden, bright light: "The sparklers flare up in the dark night."
2. To burst out suddenly in anger, violence, etc.: "They always flare up when the topic of child abuse is mentioned."

A natural talent or ability, an aptitude, a knack: "His daughter had a flair for math."

1. A person who strips off the skin or surface of: "The skin of the deer was stripped off by the flayer."
2. The noun for to strip of a person's possessions: "The new government taxes seemed to be like a flayer of the peoples' earnings."
3. The noun for to reprove harshly or criticize severely: "The husband received a flayer from his wife when she found out where he had been that night."

To display in a showy manner; to show off proudly, defiantly, or impudently: "The early uses of flaunt had to do with coquettish strutting about, showing off gaudy silks, and the word still means to parade one's possession in a way to invite envy."

1. To treat with scorn or contempt; to mock or to insult: "For some reason, all he could do was to flout the conventions of his new community of residence."
2. To break or to ignore a law, rule, etc. without hiding what one is doing or showing any fear or shame: "Despite repeated warnings, they have continued to flout the traffic laws."

Any of various small, wingless, bloodsucking insects that have legs adapted for jumping and are parasitic on warm-blooded animals: "A dog, and other animals, certainly can have fleas."

To escape or to run away from danger, pursuit, or unpleasantness: "Many people were able to flee Nazi Germany in 1936."

1. Tiny spots or marks: "There were flecks of mica in the stones."
2. Small bits or flakes: "You could see flecks of dandruff on the collar of this jacket."

1. To bend (a joint) repeatedly: "The patient had to flex his fingers many times for the doctor."
2. To bend (something pliant or elastic): "This material has the ability to flex which is good for doing my exercises."

To provide more information about something or to make more complete by adding details: "Mary had to flesh out her story with more descriptions of the characters."

1. To cause a strong flow of water or some other liquid to clean something: "You should flush the toilet every time you use it."

"The doctor wanted to flush the boy's eyes with a special solution."

2. The redness of a person's face because of heat, emotion, anger, etc.: "She always used to flush when her new boyfriend's name was mentioned."
3. Being even or level with another surface: "We wanted the book shelves and the wall to be flush with each other."

Of or relating to the flesh or body or of relating to the bodily appetites: "The doctor noticed a fleshly spot on the arm of the man."

1. Having a large amount of flesh: "The big man had a very fleshy face."
2.Soft and thick: "A succulent plant has very fleshy leaves."

The past tense verb of to fly: "The aircraft flew low over our town."

A shortened term for influenza: "The subject of swine flu has become a big concern throughout the world."

1. A pipe, tube, or channel for conveying hot air, gas, steam, or smoke, as from a furnace or fireplace to a chimney: "The flue in our fireplace was out of order so a lot of smoke filled the room."
2. An organ pipe sounded by means of a current of air striking a lip in the side of the pipe and causing the air within to vibrate: "The flue of the organ had to be repaired first before the organist could play."

1. A journey on an airplane: "The flight from Canada to Germany was quite smooth."
2. A series of stairs going from one level or floor to another: "He broke his arm when he fell down a flight of stairs."

A difficult or dangerous situation; especially, a sad or desperate predicament: "The plight of unemployed might cause major economic problems for the future."

1. To throw or to toss with a light brisk motion; to flick, to spin: "She tried to flip me the ball while she flipped her hair out of her eyes."
2. To toss in the air, imparting a spin; to turn over: "You could see him flip through the pages of the phone book looking for the number."

1. A backless foam-rubber sandal with a V-shaped strap secured between the toes and at the sides of the foot: "She wore a flip-flop on each foot as she went into the shower."
2. A change of opinion, especially by a politician: "She was accused of trying to flip-flop about her political position regarding the educational system."
3. A backward flip of the body: "Everyone saw him do a flip-flop in the air after he made the winning goal."
4. An electronic circuit or mechanical device that has two stable states and can be switched between the two: "An early computer used a flip-flop as its memory storage unit."

Showing a lack of seriousness that is thought to be inappropriate; impudent, brash, impertinent, insolent: "The young man shocked everyone by making flippant remarks while his father's will was being read."

A flat mass of floating ice: "A floe was making progress with the ship quite difficult."

To move smoothly, as in a stream: "She turned on the bathtub faucet and the water began to flow."

1. Constant change and instability: "His political views are in a state of flux."
2. A state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action: "The flux following the death of the king caused much concern among the politicians."

Floating pieces, parts, etc., from a ship that has been wrecked: "After the storm, there was a lot of flotsam from wrecked ships that had washed ashore."

1.Floating objects that are thrown into the water from a ship: "Some of the jetsam we found on the beach were still usable."
2. It is usually used in the phrase flotsam and jetsam, also figuratively: "He found a lot of flotsam and jetsam which had collected on his desk."

1. A person struggling to move or to obtain a footing: "Because of the deep snow, the man floundered over and over again as he came down the hill."
2. To proceed clumsily and in confusion: "A plan so rash and ill-conceived was certain to flounder."

1. A ship filling with water and sinking: "We saw the ship founder into the bay during the storm."
2. To become submerged; to sink: "As I said before, we saw the boat as it foundered in the lake."
3. To stumble and to fall, to fail completely, to collapse: "The fact that he was moving from job to job over the last several years indicates that he was experiencing one career founder after another."

Ground wheat or other cereal seeds: "Whole wheat flour is recommended as more wholesome for one's health."

A blossom: "A flower, or flowers, can impress people in many ways."

To make someone nervous and confused: "Sudden, loud noises can fluster a speaker."

To cause someone to feel angry, discouraged, or upset because of not being able to do something: "So many incomprehensible bureaucratic letters can only frustrate people who want to improve our economic situation."