# flange

/ˈfɫændʒ/ (US) · /flˈændʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flange
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. mechanical rim

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a flat, sticking-out edge on a pipe or wheel used for strength or to join it to something else.

For teachers: a projecting flat rim, collar, or rib on an object, serving to strengthen it, keep it in place, or facilitate attachment to another object.

- The plumber tightened the bolts on the pipe flange to stop the leak.
- Engineers specified a reinforced steel flange to ensure the high-pressure steam pipes remained securely coupled during thermal expansion.

Usage: Commonly used in mechanical engineering and plumbing contexts.

### 2. audio effect

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special sound effect in music that creates a sweeping, metallic noise.

For teachers: an audio effect produced by mixing two identical signals together, with one signal delayed by a small and gradually changing period.

- The guitarist used a heavy flange effect to give the song a spacey sound.
- The producer applied a subtle flange to the vocal track to create a shimmering, psychedelic texture reminiscent of 1960s recordings.

### 3. group of baboons

noun · CEFR C2 · Humorous

a funny, made-up name for a group of baboons.

For teachers: a collective noun for baboons, originally coined for a comedy sketch and now occasionally used in a lighthearted way.

- Look at that flange of baboons grooming each other by the tree.
- While not a scientific term, the guide jokingly referred to the troop as a flange of baboons, much to the tourists' amusement.

Teaching tip: This is a 'fanciful' collective noun; in serious scientific contexts, 'troop' is the standard term.

### 4. vulva

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Vulgar · British English

a slang word for a woman's outer sex organs.

For teachers: a slang term for the vulva.

- He made a crude joke using the word flange and everyone felt uncomfortable.
- The script was edited to remove the word flange, as the producers felt it was too vulgar for a daytime broadcast.

Teaching tip: This term is considered offensive or highly inappropriate in most social and professional settings.

### 5. to create a rim

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to shape the edge of something into a flat rim.

For teachers: to provide an object with a flange or to bend a material into the shape of a flange.

- The machine will flange the edges of the metal sheets automatically.
- The technician had to flange the copper tubing manually to ensure a flush fit against the manifold.

## Examples

- He made a joke about the flange during the meeting.
- The comedian used the word flange to make a crude joke about the audience's reaction to the performance.
- While the term flange is occasionally used in technical engineering to describe a projecting rim, its primary modern usage is restricted to vulgar slang and is generally avoided in formal discourse.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.