▪ I. flounce, n.1
(flaʊns)
Also 6 flownse, 7 flownce.
[f. flounce v.1]
1. A sudden fling or jerk of the body or a limb; a plunging or flopping movement.
| 1583 Stanyhurst Aeneis ii. (Arb.) 50 They [two serpents] doe frisk with flownse to the shoareward. 1802 M. Moore Lascelles III. 36 The instrument was lodged in the shark's body, which, after several dreadful flounces, sunk. 1810 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 144 A gripe of the paw, or flounce of the tail, may be our fortune. 1863 Barnes Dorset Gloss., Flounce, a flying stroke. |
b. A splash.
| 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 193 The Mariner..as soone as he heard the flownce of the fall, presently cryde out Hombre a la mar. |
2. A quick movement of the body, expressing impatience or disdain.
| 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 182 ¶12 He sometimes presumed to mention Marriage; but was always answered with a Hoot, and a Flounce. 1878 Mrs. Stowe Poganuc P. i. 5 Nabby turned her batch of dough over with a final flounce, as if to emphasize the statement. |
▪ II. flounce, n.2
(flaʊns)
[Alteration of earlier frounce, prob. due to the influence of flounce v.1
(The alleged AF. flounce, quoted in Skeat's Etym. Dict. (Suppl.), is a misprint for founce bottom (of a basin).]
1. ‘An ornamental appendage to the skirt of a lady's dress, consisting of a strip gathered and sewed on by its upper edge around the skirt, and left hanging and waving.’ (W.)
| 1713 Swift Cadenus & Vanessa 45 From Fans, and Flounces, and Brocades. 1795 S. Rogers Words Mrs. Siddons 59 The grey Dowager, in ancient flounces. 1862 M. E. Braddon Lady Audley iii. 27 She was shaking out the flounces of the silk dresses. |
| transf. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Perth 220 The tramp⁓ricks should also be..well drawn all round close to the bottom..not leaving the hay in a flounce at the skirts. 1891 Baring-Gould In Troubadour Land x. 130 Two limestone blocks fallen from the precipices above, lying on the flounce of rubble near the bottom of the promontory. |
2. Mil. The leather flap closing the holster-pipe.
| 1833 Regul. Instr. Cavalry i. 106 Take off the right-hand glove, unbutton the flounce, and push forward the cloak [etc.]. |
▪ III. flounce, v.1
(flaʊns)
Also 6 flounse, 7 flownce.
[Agrees in sense and form with Norw. flunsa to hurry, work briskly, Sw. dial. flunsa to fall with a splash; but as the Scand. words are not known earlier than the 18th c., and the Eng. word not till the 16th c., historical connexion cannot be proved.]
1. intr. To go with agitated, clumsy, or violent motion; to dash, flop, plunge, rush. Also with away, out, etc.
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apophth. 183 b, Alexander..flounced me [ethic dative] into the floudde. 1639 Fuller Holy War ii. xxviii. (1647) 80 He commanded them all at once to flownce into the river. 1736–7 Mrs. A. Granville in Mrs. Delany's Life & Corr. 588 We flounced into great holes of ice and snow, enough to swallow up coach and horses. 1761 Mrs. Sheridan Sidney Bidulph II. 128 She flounced off the chair to the other end of the room. 1784 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 94 He flounced from the water like a carp. 1843 Paget Ward. Berkingholt 233 So saying, Mrs. Carraway flounced off in a passion. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. IX. xx. ix. 163 Upon which My Lady flounces out in a huff. 1876 T. Hardy Ethelberta xxxi, Picotee flounced away from him in indignation. |
| fig. a 1734 North Lives II. 365 He thereupon resolved to flounce through. 1760 Foote Minor ii. Wks. 1799 I. 260 One flower [of speech] flounced involuntarily from me that day. |
b. to flounce down; to flop down. to flounce over: to turn over abruptly.
| 1786 F. Burney Diary 25 Dec., I..escape by mere miracle from flouncing down plump in all their faces! 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxxvii, Tom flounced over,..disarranging everything. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes II. 299 Rosey's Mamma flouncing down on a chair. |
2. intr. To make abrupt and jerky movements with the limbs or body; to throw the body about; to plunge, flounder, struggle. Also with about, up. Usually said of bulls, horses, or aquatic animals. to flounce it, said of a woman dancing.
| 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xvi. xii. 77 After his horse had flounced & floundered with his heeles in the soft and clammie mud. 1641 J. Shute Sarah & Hagar (1649) 109 When one hath struck a great fish, he plungeth and flounceth. 1704 J. Trapp Abra-Mulé iii. i. 1292 Whales..Now flounc'd and panted on the slimy Beach. c 1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 217 Giving him a good strap he fflounc'd up againe. 1728 Morgan Algiers II. iii. 252 Laughing..to behold them [infants] flounce about and struggle for Life in the Water. 1779 Wesley Wks. (1872) IV. 163 One of them [his post-horses] began to kick and flounce, without any visible cause. 1841 Catlin N. Amer. Ind. (1844) I. xvii. 120 Trinkets, and ribbons, in which they flounce and flirt about. 1851 Mayne Reid Scalp Hunt. vii. 53 Some of them [women] flounced it in polka jackets. |
| transf. and fig. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. xi. viii. §14 Waters long dammed up, oft-times flownce, and flie out too violently, when their sluces are pulled up. 1688 Bunyan Jerus. Sinner Saved (1886) 60 Wood that is green will rather smother..and crack, and flounce, than cast a brave light and a pleasant heat. Ibid. 90 It [despair] will make a man..flounce and fling like a wild bull in a net. |
3. † To express displeasure or ill-temper by agitated movements. Obs. Also to flounce into a temper.
| 1702 Steele Funeral ii. ii, 'Tis in vain to flounce, and discompose your self. 1756 Foote Eng. fr. Paris ii. Wks. 1799 I. 118 If you flounce, I fly. 1883 Longm. Mag. July 294 The little German gentleman flounced into a temper. |
† 4. trans. To dash or drive with violence; to fling with a flop or splash. Obs.
| 1583 Stanyhurst Aeneis i. (Arb.) 38 What seas thee terribil hither Haue flounst? 1714 Hearne Duct. Hist. (ed. 3) I. 184 At last it broke, and by the fall of large Pieces of it into the Abyss, flounc'd up the Water. 1719 A. Smith Lives of Highwaymen II. 321 He is flounc'd thence into the Sea. 1794 A. M. Bennett Ellen III. 107 She flounced the door in his face. |
▪ IV. flounce, v.2
(flaʊns)
[Alteration of frounce v.: cf. flounce n.2]
† 1. trans. To curl, frizz, trim. Obs.
| 1672 Wycherley Love in Wood iii. iii, Let me Prune, and Flounce my Perruque a little. |
2. To adorn or trim with a flounce or with flounces; also transf.
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 129 ¶5 She was flounced and furbelowed from Head to Foot. 1737 Pope Let. in Style Lady Wks. 1824 VIII. 406 They have got into the..fashion..of flouncing the petticoat so very deep, that it looks like an entire coat of lutestring. 1749 H. Walpole Lett. (1857) II. 170 He has..flounced himself with flowering shrubs. 1814 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) I. 274 Striped muslin to flounce my gowns. 1818 Blackw. Mag. III. 403 It must take scores and scores of yards to flounce her. 1841 D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 523 The tarnished piece was drawn out of the theatrical wardrobe..[and] flounced with new scenes. 1862 H. Marryat Year in Sweden II. 308 Its basement flounced round with trees. |
| absol. 1784 R. Bage Barham Downs I. 171 They could trim, flounce, and furbelow to admiration. |
▪ V. flounce, adv.
(flaʊns)
[The vb. stem so used.]
With a flounce; with a sudden jerk or flop.
| 1583 Stanyhurst Aeneis iii. (Arb.) 89 Flounce to the stars towring thee fire, lyke a pellet, is hurled. 1604 Meeting of Gallants 21 He fell flounce into the saddle. 1707 Farquhar Beaux' Stratagem ii. 1 Wks. 1892 II. 260 He comes flounce into bed. |