Flay

Flay
Recorded as Flea, Fleay, Fley, Flay, Flye, Flyee, and possibly others, this is an English surname. It was originally a nickname for a small person, or perhaps on occasion and given the robust humour of the medieval period, the complete opposite. One thing it did not describe was a person with fleas, because everybody had them! Nicknames from physical features such as size, shape or complexion, form one of the largest groups within the surname listings. Indeed there are some researchers who claim that all surnames were originally nicknames, in that they were purely given to identify a person, and may not have been intended some seven or eight hundred years ago, to be hereditary. This surname is well recorded in the early surviving chuerch registers of the city of London, although it may well have been equally popular in other regions. These early examples include Alyce Fley who married James Wryght at St Margarets Westminster, on November 3rd 1555. This was in the reign of Mary 1st of England, otherwise known as 'Bloody Mary' (1554 - 1558), and not to be confused with Mary, Queen of Scots, whilst Ann Flee married Edmound Dubblede (as spelt), at the church of St Mary Somerset, on October 20th 1597, and Susanne Flay who married William Hoyd also at St Mary Somerset, but on October 18th 1628.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Flay — may refer to:* Flay Allster, a fictional character in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED * Flaying, the removal of skin from the body * Mr. Flay, a fictional character in the Gormenghast novelsPeople named Flay:* Bobby Flay (born 1964), celebrity… …   Wikipedia

  • Flay — (fl[=a]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flayed} (fl[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Flaying}.] [OE. flean, flan, AS. fle[ a]n; akin to D. vlaen, Icel. fl[=a], Sw. fl[*a], Dan. flaae, cf. Lith. pleszti to tear, plyszti, v.i., to burst, tear; perh. akin to E. flag… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • flay´er — flay «flay», transitive verb. 1. to strip off the skin or outer covering of; skin: »Whole deer were often brought in to be…flayed (George James). 2. Figurative. to scold severely; criticize without pity or mercy. 3. to rob; cheat. 4. Rare …   Useful english dictionary

  • flay — flay; flay·er; …   English syllables

  • flay — index denude, lash (attack verbally), lash (strike), plunder, reprimand, reproach Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …   Law dictionary

  • flay — [fleı] v [T] [: Old English; Origin: flean] 1.) formal to criticize someone very severely ▪ She was well known for flaying public officials in her daily column. 2.) literary to whip or beat someone very severely 3.) formal to remove the skin from …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • flay — [ fleı ] verb transitive 1. ) to hit or whip a person or animal severely, so that the skin is broken a ) to remove the outer layer of something, usually the skin of an animal 2. ) to criticize someone or something in a very severe or cruel way …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • flay — (v.) O.E. flean to skin (strong verb, pt. flog, pp. flagen), from P.Gmc. *flakhanan (Cf. M.Du. vlaen, O.H.G. flahan, O.N. fla), from PIE root *pleik (Cf. Gk. plessein to strike, Lith. pleЕЎiu to tear; see …   Etymology dictionary

  • flay — vb *skin, decorticate, peel, pare Analogous words: *abrade, excoriate, chafe: rack, torture, torment, *afflict: chastise, castigate, *punish …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • flay — ► VERB 1) strip the skin from (a body or carcass). 2) whip or beat harshly. 3) criticize harshly. DERIVATIVES flayer noun. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • flay — [flā] vt. [ME flan < OE flean, akin to MDu vlaen, ON fla < IE base * plēk̑ , to tear off > FLITCH] 1. to strip off the skin or hide of, as by whipping 2. to criticize or scold mercilessly 3. to rob; pillage …   English World dictionary

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