Mixing
Which meaning of the word 'flay' has been applied in “flay him to within an inch of his life�
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
... He(Uncle Vernon) shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, and handed him a mop. ...
I think "flay him to within an inch of his life" is figurative. But I'm not sure about what sense of 'flay' has been used from the following dictionary-suggesting definitions:
When someone flays an animal or person, they remove their skin, usually when they are dead.
If you flay someone, you criticize them severely for their beliefs, policies, or actions.
What does this phrase convey exactly?
-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.
word-usage phrase-meaning
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
... He(Uncle Vernon) shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, and handed him a mop. ...
I think "flay him to within an inch of his life" is figurative. But I'm not sure about what sense of 'flay' has been used from the following dictionary-suggesting definitions:
When someone flays an animal or person, they remove their skin, usually when they are dead.
If you flay someone, you criticize them severely for their beliefs, policies, or actions.
What does this phrase convey exactly?
-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.
word-usage phrase-meaning
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
4
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
1
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
... He(Uncle Vernon) shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, and handed him a mop. ...
I think "flay him to within an inch of his life" is figurative. But I'm not sure about what sense of 'flay' has been used from the following dictionary-suggesting definitions:
When someone flays an animal or person, they remove their skin, usually when they are dead.
If you flay someone, you criticize them severely for their beliefs, policies, or actions.
What does this phrase convey exactly?
-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.
word-usage phrase-meaning
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
... He(Uncle Vernon) shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, and handed him a mop. ...
I think "flay him to within an inch of his life" is figurative. But I'm not sure about what sense of 'flay' has been used from the following dictionary-suggesting definitions:
When someone flays an animal or person, they remove their skin, usually when they are dead.
If you flay someone, you criticize them severely for their beliefs, policies, or actions.
What does this phrase convey exactly?
-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.
word-usage phrase-meaning
word-usage phrase-meaning
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
edited 15 mins ago
Kat
35718
35718
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
asked 11 hours ago
dan
2,52221545
2,52221545
4
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
1
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
4
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
1
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago
4
4
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
1
1
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
18
down vote
You're missing another meaning of flay:
1.2 Whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin.
‘he flayed them viciously with a branch’
(ODO)
He was going to beat Harry "to within an inch of his life". It's an exaggeration. He was threatening to severely beat or whip Harry.
Yes, as I understand the word shoo, it is impolite. He might have been annoyed, or the writer wanted to convey that Vernon was annoyed (or some similar feeling).
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
To "flay" someone is to use a light blunt object such as a cane or a whip to cause laceration damage to the person as opposed to the impact damage a heavy blunt object would cause.
To "shoo" someone comes from the actual word used during the action, similarly to "shushing" someone. If you "shh" or "shush" someone you gesture them to be quiet. To "shoo" someone is to gesture to them to go away or get out of your way. It is not especially rude though simply because it would most often be used to for example "shoo the birds off the lawn" or "shoo the children out of the study".
You would "shoo" something that is in a place it is not supposed to be and that usually knows its not supposed to be there but has been allowed to take liberties as long as they are not bothering anyone.
"Shoo" is usually used when you catch someone doing something they shouldn't be doing even though they are causing no harm and instead of reprimanding them you "shoo" them away.
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
I bet you $5 that Uncle Vernon was substituting the word "flay" instead of "flog" for effect. Flaying is hard to do without killing.
"Flog him to within an inch of his life" makes sense: it was the subject of this 2006 post at another idiomatic expression website:
I am more familiar with the phrase 'flogged TO within an inch of his life' which makes it a little clearer, I think.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/51/messages/568.html
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
18
down vote
You're missing another meaning of flay:
1.2 Whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin.
‘he flayed them viciously with a branch’
(ODO)
He was going to beat Harry "to within an inch of his life". It's an exaggeration. He was threatening to severely beat or whip Harry.
Yes, as I understand the word shoo, it is impolite. He might have been annoyed, or the writer wanted to convey that Vernon was annoyed (or some similar feeling).
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
18
down vote
You're missing another meaning of flay:
1.2 Whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin.
‘he flayed them viciously with a branch’
(ODO)
He was going to beat Harry "to within an inch of his life". It's an exaggeration. He was threatening to severely beat or whip Harry.
Yes, as I understand the word shoo, it is impolite. He might have been annoyed, or the writer wanted to convey that Vernon was annoyed (or some similar feeling).
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
18
down vote
up vote
18
down vote
You're missing another meaning of flay:
1.2 Whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin.
‘he flayed them viciously with a branch’
(ODO)
He was going to beat Harry "to within an inch of his life". It's an exaggeration. He was threatening to severely beat or whip Harry.
Yes, as I understand the word shoo, it is impolite. He might have been annoyed, or the writer wanted to convey that Vernon was annoyed (or some similar feeling).
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
You're missing another meaning of flay:
1.2 Whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin.
‘he flayed them viciously with a branch’
(ODO)
He was going to beat Harry "to within an inch of his life". It's an exaggeration. He was threatening to severely beat or whip Harry.
Yes, as I understand the word shoo, it is impolite. He might have been annoyed, or the writer wanted to convey that Vernon was annoyed (or some similar feeling).
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
answered 11 hours ago
Em.♦
35.9k10101122
35.9k10101122
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
add a comment |Â
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
8
8
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
If he did actually "shoo" them, it would be impolite, but you can shoo someone without saying "shoo shoo" and flapping your arms. It could be construed to mean "rushed" or "hurried" them. Which would be slightly impolite but not as bad as literally "shooing" them. Shoo the verb is defined as "Make (a person or animal) go away by waving one's arms at them, saying ‘shoo’, or otherwise acting in a discouraging manner." So you can "shoo" them by saying "oh let's go into the dining room" and then kind of guiding them. He is "shooing" them into the dining room and out of the room they are in.
– Aaron Harun
7 hours ago
3
3
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
Shoo could be a reference to the physical arm movements he was making.
– Ryan The Leach
6 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
To "flay" someone is to use a light blunt object such as a cane or a whip to cause laceration damage to the person as opposed to the impact damage a heavy blunt object would cause.
To "shoo" someone comes from the actual word used during the action, similarly to "shushing" someone. If you "shh" or "shush" someone you gesture them to be quiet. To "shoo" someone is to gesture to them to go away or get out of your way. It is not especially rude though simply because it would most often be used to for example "shoo the birds off the lawn" or "shoo the children out of the study".
You would "shoo" something that is in a place it is not supposed to be and that usually knows its not supposed to be there but has been allowed to take liberties as long as they are not bothering anyone.
"Shoo" is usually used when you catch someone doing something they shouldn't be doing even though they are causing no harm and instead of reprimanding them you "shoo" them away.
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
To "flay" someone is to use a light blunt object such as a cane or a whip to cause laceration damage to the person as opposed to the impact damage a heavy blunt object would cause.
To "shoo" someone comes from the actual word used during the action, similarly to "shushing" someone. If you "shh" or "shush" someone you gesture them to be quiet. To "shoo" someone is to gesture to them to go away or get out of your way. It is not especially rude though simply because it would most often be used to for example "shoo the birds off the lawn" or "shoo the children out of the study".
You would "shoo" something that is in a place it is not supposed to be and that usually knows its not supposed to be there but has been allowed to take liberties as long as they are not bothering anyone.
"Shoo" is usually used when you catch someone doing something they shouldn't be doing even though they are causing no harm and instead of reprimanding them you "shoo" them away.
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
To "flay" someone is to use a light blunt object such as a cane or a whip to cause laceration damage to the person as opposed to the impact damage a heavy blunt object would cause.
To "shoo" someone comes from the actual word used during the action, similarly to "shushing" someone. If you "shh" or "shush" someone you gesture them to be quiet. To "shoo" someone is to gesture to them to go away or get out of your way. It is not especially rude though simply because it would most often be used to for example "shoo the birds off the lawn" or "shoo the children out of the study".
You would "shoo" something that is in a place it is not supposed to be and that usually knows its not supposed to be there but has been allowed to take liberties as long as they are not bothering anyone.
"Shoo" is usually used when you catch someone doing something they shouldn't be doing even though they are causing no harm and instead of reprimanding them you "shoo" them away.
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
To "flay" someone is to use a light blunt object such as a cane or a whip to cause laceration damage to the person as opposed to the impact damage a heavy blunt object would cause.
To "shoo" someone comes from the actual word used during the action, similarly to "shushing" someone. If you "shh" or "shush" someone you gesture them to be quiet. To "shoo" someone is to gesture to them to go away or get out of your way. It is not especially rude though simply because it would most often be used to for example "shoo the birds off the lawn" or "shoo the children out of the study".
You would "shoo" something that is in a place it is not supposed to be and that usually knows its not supposed to be there but has been allowed to take liberties as long as they are not bothering anyone.
"Shoo" is usually used when you catch someone doing something they shouldn't be doing even though they are causing no harm and instead of reprimanding them you "shoo" them away.
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
answered 1 hour ago
Anton
19016
19016
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
I bet you $5 that Uncle Vernon was substituting the word "flay" instead of "flog" for effect. Flaying is hard to do without killing.
"Flog him to within an inch of his life" makes sense: it was the subject of this 2006 post at another idiomatic expression website:
I am more familiar with the phrase 'flogged TO within an inch of his life' which makes it a little clearer, I think.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/51/messages/568.html
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
I bet you $5 that Uncle Vernon was substituting the word "flay" instead of "flog" for effect. Flaying is hard to do without killing.
"Flog him to within an inch of his life" makes sense: it was the subject of this 2006 post at another idiomatic expression website:
I am more familiar with the phrase 'flogged TO within an inch of his life' which makes it a little clearer, I think.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/51/messages/568.html
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
up vote
-2
down vote
I bet you $5 that Uncle Vernon was substituting the word "flay" instead of "flog" for effect. Flaying is hard to do without killing.
"Flog him to within an inch of his life" makes sense: it was the subject of this 2006 post at another idiomatic expression website:
I am more familiar with the phrase 'flogged TO within an inch of his life' which makes it a little clearer, I think.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/51/messages/568.html
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I bet you $5 that Uncle Vernon was substituting the word "flay" instead of "flog" for effect. Flaying is hard to do without killing.
"Flog him to within an inch of his life" makes sense: it was the subject of this 2006 post at another idiomatic expression website:
I am more familiar with the phrase 'flogged TO within an inch of his life' which makes it a little clearer, I think.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/51/messages/568.html
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 10 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
answered 1 hour ago
elliot svensson
972
972
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
elliot svensson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
Please specify why you think that "flay" is a mistake. (The existence of similar words that work in the same sentence is not proof in itself.) The evidence provided in the top answer, plus the source of the quote make it highly unlikely this is an error.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f183373%2fwhich-meaning-of-the-word-flay-has-been-applied-in-flay-him-to-within-an-inch%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
4
"Shoo" in this sense is more akin to "herded", as if guiding animals.
– Freddie R
5 hours ago
1
Please don't ask completely unrelated "side questions". Put them in a post of their own.
– David Richerby
1 hour ago