To Flank the whole bottle, verb. phr. (American soldiers’).—To dodge, i.e., to outflank, to achieve by strategy. For synonyms, see Stick.
1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 286. When the men wished to escape the attention of pickets and guards by slipping past them, they said they flanked them; drill, and detail, and every irksome duty was flanked, when it could be avoided by some cunning trick. Soon, however, honesty itself was thus treated, and the poor farmer was flanked out of his pig and his poultry, and not infrequently even the comrade out of his pipe and tobacco, if not his rations. The height of strategy was employed in these various flank manœuvres, when the Commissary could be made to surrender some of his whiskey, and thus it came about, in the South at least, that to flank the whole bottle was a phrase expressive of superlative cunning and brilliant success.
Flanker, subs. (common).—A blow; a retort; a kick. Cf., Flank, sense 1.
Flankey, subs. (common).—The posteriors. For synonyms, see Blind Cheeks and Monocular Eyeglass.
1848. Duncombe, Sinks of London, s.v.
Flannel. See Hot Flannel.
Flannels. To get one’s flannels, verb. phr. (schools’).—To get a place in the school football or cricket teams, or in the boats. Cf., ‘to get one’s colours,’ or ‘one’s blue.’
Flap, subs. (thieves’).—1. Sheet-lead used for roofing. Fr., doussin; noir. Cf., Bluey.
2. (old).—A blow.
1539. David Lyndsay, Thrie Estaitis. Works [Laing, 1879], ii. 73. And to begin the play, tak thair ane flap.