flaw
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a small mistake, mark, or weakness that stops something from being perfect.
a defect, fault, or imperfection in a physical object or an abstract concept like a plan or character.
Simple“The diamond was cheaper because it had a tiny flaw that you could only see with a lens.”
In context“The legal team spent weeks searching for a flaw in the contract that would allow their client to withdraw without penalty.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
a sudden, short burst of wind or a brief storm.
a sudden gust of wind or a brief, intense storm; often used in nautical or meteorological contexts.
Simple“A sudden flaw of wind rattled the window frames and then vanished as quickly as it came.”
In context“The small vessel struggled against a sudden flaw that swept across the bay, threatening to capsize the inexperienced crew.”
Synonymsgustsquall
“Furthermore, the research exposes a critical flaw in current ecosystem models, which systematically misrepresent these effects.”
“It hasn’t worked – and analysts now suggest there may be three distinct flaws with the firewall strategy.”
From Middle English flawe, flay (“a flake of fire or snow, spark, splinter”), probably from Old Norse flaga (“a flag or slab of stone, flake”), from Proto-Germanic flagō (“a layer of soil”), from Proto-Indo-European plok- (“broad, flat”). Cognate with Icelandic flaga (“flake”), Swedish flaga (“flake, scale”), Danish flage (“flake”), Middle Low German vlage (“a layer of soil”), Old English flōh (“a fragment, piece”).
From Middle English flaugh, from Middle Dutch vlāghe or Middle Low German vlāge, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic flagā. Or, possibly of North Germanic origin, from Swedish flaga (“gust of wind”), from Old Norse flaga; all from Proto-Germanic *flagǭ (“blow, strike”). See modern Dutch vlaag (“gust of wind”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.