▪ I. flab, n.
(flæb)
Also flap.
[f. onomatopœic stem flab, expressing the notion of something thick and broad; cf. flap, dab, slab.]
1. dial. (See quot. 1825).
| ? 18.. Receipts in Cookery 45 (Jam. Suppl. 1825) To make Catchup. Gather your large flabs, cut off the root ends, and take off the rough skins; knock them to pieces; and put them in an earthen jar [etc.] a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Flaps pl. large broad mushrooms. |
2. slang. Fat, flabbiness; spec. at Christ's Hospital, butter. (See also quot. 1959.)
| 1923 Glasgow Herald 15 Nov. 8 Other terms in every day use [at Christ's Hospital] are ‘flab’, butter [etc.]. 1958 Globe Mag. 27 Sept. 17/5 He ballooned to 175 pounds of flab and was a poor advertisement for his product. 1959 I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. ix. 168 The unfortunate fat boy..is known as..flab. 1966 K. Giles Big Greed 136 She looks pretty good..no flab round the thighs yet. |
▪ II. † flab, v. Obs.
[Onomatopœic; cf. flap v.]
trans. To flap (the wings).
| 1765 D. Girton Compl. Pigeon-fancier 107 The smiter..has a particular manner of falling and flabbing its wings. |