Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 4 flaunke, 6 flanke, 9 dial. vlank. [Cf. FLAKE sb.2, of which this may be a nasalized form; Sw. has (snö)flanka a snowflake.] = FLAKE sb.2 2.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 954. Of felle flaunkes of fyr & flakes of soufre.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 148/1. Which thing Rorie Og when he knew, and hauing intelligence that euerie man was in his bed asleepe, then he in the dead night came to the towne with all his companie, who like vnto a sort of furies and diuels new come out of hell, carried vpon the ends of their poles flankes of fier, and did set as they went the low thatched houses on fier.
1888. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., ’Twas a mercy sure ’nough tother rick had-n a-catcht—the vlanks was blowin all over the place.
