flannel

n. a soft, warm cloth made of wool or cotton, often used for shirts or pyjamas.

n. a soft woven fabric, typically of wool or cotton and slightly milled and raised. Uncountable when referring to the material itself.

“He wore a warm flannel shirt to go hiking in the mountains.”

“The designer selected a heavy grey flannel for the winter collection, valuing its durability and heat retention properties.”

n. a small square of cloth used for washing your face or body.

n. a small square of absorbent cloth used for personal hygiene. Countable; primarily used in British and New Zealand English.

“She soaked the flannel in warm water and wiped the child's face.”

“The hotel bathroom was stocked with fresh white flannels and luxury soaps for the guests.”

British English

n. talk that sounds polite but is used to avoid answering a question or telling the truth.

n. evasive or flattering speech used to mislead or avoid a direct question.

“Stop giving me all this flannel and just tell me if the job is done.”

“The politician's response was pure flannel, designed to placate the audience without committing to any specific policy changes.”

British English · Informal

adj. describes something made from soft flannel fabric.

adj. composed of or pertaining to flannel fabric.

“She bought some flannel pyjamas to stay warm during the winter.”

“He preferred flannel trousers for office wear during the colder months due to their soft texture.”

v. to talk a lot without saying anything important, usually to avoid a difficult question.

v. to speak in an evasive or misleadingly flattering manner. Intransitive in this sense.

“The manager started to flannel when I asked about my pay rise.”

“When pressed for a deadline, the contractor began to flannel, citing vague supply chain issues that he couldn't specifically define.”

British English · Informal