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flimsy. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
flimsy, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
flimsy in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
flimsy you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
Uncertain. First used in the 18th century. Perhaps a metathesis of film + -s + -y; or related to flimflam.
Pronunciation
Adjective
flimsy (comparative flimsier or more flimsy, superlative flimsiest or most flimsy)
- Likely to bend or break under pressure.
- Synonyms: weak, shaky, flexible, fragile
- Antonyms: robust, strong, sturdy
He expected the flimsy structure to collapse at any moment.
1775 January 17 (first performance), [Richard Brinsley Sheridan], The Rivals, a Comedy. , London: John Wilkie, , published 1775, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 20:Yet do I carry every vvhere vvith me ſuch a confounded farago of doubts, fears, hopes, vviſhes, and all the flimſy furniture of a country Miſs's brain!
- (figurative) Weak; ill-founded.
- Synonyms: weak, feeble, unconvincing, unfounded, unsubstantiated
- Antonyms: well-founded, substantiated
a flimsy excuse
Translations
likely to bend or break under pressure
- Bulgarian: слаб (bg) (slab), крехък (bg) (krehǎk), чуплив (bg) (čupliv)
- Czech: chatrný, křehký (cs)
- Danish: spinkel, skrøbelig
- Dutch: breekbaar (nl)
- Finnish: heppoinen (fi), hatara (fi)
- French: frêle (fr) m or f, fragile (fr) m or f
- German: zart (de), schwach (de), leicht (de), zerbrechlich (de), hauchdünn (de)
- Latin: fragilis
- Maori: kopī, marore, kōpīpī
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: spinkel
- Nynorsk: spinkel
- Plautdietsch: pukrich
- Portuguese: frágil (pt), receoso (pt), trémulo (pt)
- Russian: хру́пкий (ru) (xrúpkij), хлипкий (ru) (xlipkij)
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Noun
flimsy (plural flimsies)
- Thin typing paper used to make multiple copies.
1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 251:Smiley peered once more at the flimsy which he still clutched in his pudgy hand.
- (naval slang) A service certificate
1964, Australia. Parliament, Records of the Proceedings and Printed Papers of the Parliament:A perusal of the comments of officers under whom he has served as recorded in his “flimsies" indicates that he has almost consistently received high commendation for his service.
1994, John Wells, The Royal Navy: An Illustrated Social History, 1870-1982, page 7:Regulations required a commanding officer to render annual confidential reports on the character and ability of his officers - with particular reference to sobriety - on forms known as 'flimsies'.
- (informal, in the plural) Skimpy underwear.
2007 October 25, Ruth La Ferla, “Now It’s Nobody’s Secret”, in New York Times:Choosing lingerie “is about what makes you look good, but also what looks good with or through your clothing,” said Monica Mitro, a spokeswoman for Victoria’s Secret, the brand that catapulted racy flimsies into the public eye.
- (slang) A banknote.
1846, George William MacArthur Reynolds, The Mysteries of London, page 60:[…] Q was a Queer-screen, that served as a blind; / R was a Reader, with flimsies well lined; […]
Derived terms
Translations
Thin typing paper used to make multiple copies