flak

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Related to flak: flak jacket

flak

also flack (flăk)

a. Antiaircraft artillery.

b. The bursting shells fired from such artillery.

2. Informal

a. Excessive or abusive criticism.

b. Dissension; opposition.

[German, from Fl(ieger)a(bwehr)k(anone), aircraft-defense gun.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

flak

(flæk) or

flack

1. (Military) anti-aircraft fire or artillery

2. informal a great deal of adverse criticism

[C20: from German Fl(ieger)a(bwehr)k(anone), literally: aircraft defence gun]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

flak

or flack

(flæk)

n.

1. antiaircraft fire.

2. critical or hostile reaction.

[1935–40; < German Fl(ieger)a(bwehr)k(anone) antiaircraft gun]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	flak - a slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employer flack, flack catcher, flak catcher spokesperson, representative, interpreter, voice - an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose; "the meeting was attended by spokespersons for all the major organs of government"
	2.	flak - intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak" flack, attack, blast, fire criticism, unfavorable judgment - disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings; "the senator received severe criticism from his opponent"
	3.	flak - artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes ack-ack, ack-ack gun, antiaircraft, antiaircraft gun, pom-pom, flack Bofors gun - an automatic double-barreled antiaircraft gun gun - a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel) predictor - a computer for controlling antiaircraft fire that computes the position of an aircraft at the instant of a shell's arrival

flak

noun criticism, stick (slang), opposition, abuse, complaints, hostility, condemnation, censure, disapproval, bad press, denigration, brickbats (informal), sideswipes, disparagement, fault-finding, disapprobation He's getting a lot of flak for that.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

fuoco di contraerea stroncatura

flak

[flæk]

A. N

1. → fuego m antiaéreo

2. (= criticism) → críticas fpl
to get a lot of flak → ser muy criticado

B. CPD flak jacket N → chaleco m antibalas

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

flak

[ˈflæk] n

(MILITARY) → tir m antiaérien

(= criticism) → critiques fpl
to get flak for sth → s'attirer des critiques pour qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

flak

→ Flakfeuer nt

(fig) he’s been getting a lot of flak (for it) → er ist (dafür) mächtig unter Beschuss geraten (inf); I’m not taking the flak for this → ich lass mich deswegen nicht zur Sau machen (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

flak

[flæk] n

a. (Mil) → fuoco d'artiglieria

b. (fam) (criticism) → critiche fpl

References in periodicals archive ?

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This was the genesis of "Flying With The Flak Pak: A Pacific War Scrapbook", the story of his father's World War II experiences in the Pacific Theatre.

Flying With The Flak Pak: A Pacific War Scrapbook

In a documentary about his 10-year tenure, Swansea-born Dr Rowan Williams, right, has revealed how "risking unpopularity" and "taking the flak" comes with the territory.

You'll have to take flak, warns Rowan

Security at the complex has now been stepped up after generators, fridges and flak jackets disappeared.

Kit stolen from axed barracks

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Exo Flak Jacket iPhone Case - Extended Access, Inc. Announces the Exo Flak Jacket, an Innovative Aluminum Case for the iPhone 4 and 4S

And Johnson has revealed that there is no shortage of people in the dressing room happy to hand out flak where it is warranted.