▪ I. flageolet1
(flædʒəˈlɛt, ˈflædʒəlɪt)
Forms: 7 flajolet, flageollet, -eret, flagolet, 7–9 flagelet, -llet, (8 flagelate), 7– flageolet.
[a. Fr. flageolet, dim. of OF. flajol: see flagel n.1]
1. A small wind instrument, having a mouthpiece at one end, six principal holes, and sometimes keys.
| 1659 J. Leak Water-wks. 27 A Cyclope plaies upon a Flajolet. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 5 ¶3 The Musick proceeded from a Consort of Flagelets. 1788 Cowper Death Bullfinch 12 Well-taught he all the sounds express'd Of flagelet or flute. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xix, Vagabond groups..add their uproar to the shrill flageolet. |
| transf. 1662 Tatham Aqua Tri. 11 To shew they [the winds] were Joves Flagerets. |
† 2. A player on the flageolet. Obs.
| 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode iii. iii., That's one of the walking Flajolets. |
3. A stop in an organ having a tone similar to that of the flageolet.
| 1852 Seidel Organ 97 Flageolet..imitates the tone of the instrument bearing the same name. |
4. attrib., as flageolet-master, flageolet-tone (see quot.).
| 1667 Pepys Diary 1 Mar., I find the flageolet-master come, and teaching my wife. 1888 Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, Flageolet tones, the natural harmonics of stringed instruments, so called from their pure flute-like quality of tone. |
▪ II. ‖ flageolet2
(flædʒəʊˈlɛt, flaʒɔlɛ)
[Fr. flageolet, corruption of fageolet, dim. of fageol:—L. faseolus. Cf. fasels.]
A species of kidney-bean.
| 1877 E. S. Dallas Kettner's Bk. Table 243 Haricot beans.—These are the seeds: first, the flageolets, which are green and are to be had fresh from July to October, or dried always. 1885 Pall Mall. G. 9 Sept. 4/2 Flageolets, the pièce de résistance, are the next cause of amusement. 1951 E. David French Country Cooking 235 Pour the whole contents of a tin of flageolets into a pan. |