flake
/fleɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /fleɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈflāk/ (ame, mw)
flake — noun
- flakesingular
- flakesplural
1. a very small, thin piece of a material that has broken loose from a larger objec
a very small, thin piece of a material that has broken loose from a larger object or surface
A single snowflake landed on Fatima's nose and melted instantly.
collocation: snowflake
The old ceiling had flakes of paint falling onto the dining table.
collocation: flakes of paint
The doctor placed a skin flake from the patient's arm under the microscope.
Crushed eggshell can be added as flakes to potting soil for extra calcium.
文法句型
a flake of [material]
用法筆記
Often followed by "of" to specify the material — e.g. a flake of paint, a flake of chocolate, flakes of dried skin.
常見錯誤
2. a person who cannot be trusted to keep promises, remember plans, or act in a dep
a person who cannot be trusted to keep promises, remember plans, or act in a dependable way
Javier was supposed to help me move the sofa, but he's such a flake — he never showed up.
phrase: be such a flake
Stop being a flake and tell us whether you are coming to the party or not.
direct address: being a flake
The project manager described Keiko as a total flake after she missed three deadlines in a row.
- flaky person
the adjective form used attributively, e.g. 'a flaky friend'
- no-show
someone who simply does not arrive, without the broader connotation of strangeness
- flighty person
someone who is unreliable because they change interests or moods quickly
- rock
someone who is extremely dependable and steady
用法筆記
Strongly informal. Use carefully in professional contexts; 'unreliable' or 'undependable' are safer alternatives in formal writing.
常見錯誤
flake — verb
- flakepresent simple I / you / we / they
- flakes3rd person singular
- flaking-ing form
- flakedpast simple
1. to fall or break away from a surface in very small, thin pieces
to fall or break away from a surface in very small, thin pieces
The blue paint on the garden bench is starting to flake after the long winter rains.
subject: paint — common collocation
After the sunburn healed, Soo-jin's shoulders began to flake in small dry pieces.
The old plaster flaked off the wall when Amara touched it gently.
Rust had started to flake from the bottom of the metal gate.
文法句型
flake off [surface]
flake from [source]
用法筆記
Often used with "off" to indicate separation from a surface. The subject is typically paint, plaster, skin, rust, or another material that naturally forms layers.
常見錯誤
2. to fail to do something that you had agreed, promised, or were expected to do
to fail to do something that you had agreed, promised, or were expected to do
Luca flaked on us again — he said he would bring snacks but never came.
phrase: flake on [someone]
I was supposed to meet the new intern for coffee, but she flaked at the last minute.
phrase: flake at the last minute
Don't flake on your study group; everyone is counting on you to explain the assignment.
- bail on
similar informal phrase meaning to cancel or leave a plan
- stand someone up
specifically failing to meet someone for a date or appointment
- back out
to withdraw from a commitment, slightly more formal
- show up
to arrive as promised or expected
- follow through
to complete what you agreed to do
文法句型
flake on [someone]
flake out
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the phrasal forms 'flake on someone' (to cancel or not show up to an arrangement with them) and 'flake out' (to fail to participate or to drop out of something). Both are informal.
常見錯誤
3. to cover or scatter a surface with small thin pieces of something, especially fo
to cover or scatter a surface with small thin pieces of something, especially for decoration or as part of a process
The pastry chef flaked toasted almonds over the top of the cake.
cooking context
A light frost had flaked the car windscreens across the car park.
weather/passive: be flaked with
- clear
to remove material from a surface
文法句型
flake [something] with [material]
flake [material] over [something]
用法筆記
The least common of the verb senses. Most learners will encounter it in recipes ('flake almonds over...') or descriptions of frost and ice.