▪ I. flair, n.1
(flɛə(r))
[a. OF. and F. flair, f. flairier, flairer to smell:—popular L. flāgrāre, altered form of frāgrāre: see fragrant.]
† 1. An odour, a smell. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 9017 Alle swete savours..War noght bot als stynk to regard of þat flayre. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 772 Syche a vennymous flayre flowe fro his lyppez. |
2. [mod.Fr.] Power of ‘scent’, sagacious perceptiveness, instinctive discernment. Also in weakened senses: (a) special aptitude or ability; (b) liking, taste, enthusiasm. (Both senses freq. const. for.)
| 1881 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton My Love I. 291 Gip, with the keen ‘flair’ of her kind, saw how things stood. 1885 M. E. Braddon Wyllard's Weird II. ii. 47, I see you have the true flair. 1925 S. Lewis Martin Arrowsmith ix. 106 You have a real flair for investigative science. 1926 Fowler Mod. Eng. Usage 182/1 Mrs. ― has homely accomplishments; a f[lair] for cooking goes with her f[lair] for writing. 1932 McCall's Mag. July 96 Her flair for adventure and conquest was rising at the thought of great, strange cities. 1942 Burlington Mag. June 134/1 One explanation offered by the psychologist is that this special insight or ‘flair’ is only found in the repressed or frustrated artist. 1955 Times 17 June 3/5 The ‘flair’ for producing unexpected lobs. 1959 T. S. Eliot Elder Statesman iii. 98 Michael's head is well screwed on. He's got brains, he's got flair. |
▪ II. flair, n.2
(flɛə(r))
Also flare.
[Cf. OF. flair (14th c.) some kind of flat fish.]
The ray or skate.
| 1668 Wilkins Real Char. ii. v. §3. 133 Flare, Thornback. a 1672 Willughby Ichthyogr. (1686) Tab. C.N. 5 The Skate or Flair. 1710 Sibbald Hist. Fife ii. 50 Raia lævis, the Skate or Flair. 1740 R. Brookes Art of Angling ii. v. 105 The Scate or Flare..is a gristly Fish, with a flat smooth, and very broad Body. 1862 Couch Brit. Fishes I. 87. |
▪ III. flair
var. form of flare.
▪ IV. flair, v.
(flɛə(r))
[f. flair1.]
trans. To scent. Also absol. and fig.
| 1921 Glasgow Herald 22 Jan. 4 With a strange and peculiar zest we flair survivals of phrase and intonation lurking in the speech..of very aged persons. 1923 J. Masefield Poems 560 The sharp nose flaired them heed⁓fully. Ibid. 563 His ears were cocked and his keen nose flaired. Ibid. 565 The fox drew in and flaired with his muzzle. Ibid. 569 He flaired the air, then he padded out. |