Forms: 4–6 flery(e, 5–7, 8–9 dial. flyre, -er, flire, 6 flirre, flurre, 6–8, 9 dial. flear(e, 6–7 fle(e)re, flier(e, 7–8 fleir(e, 6– fleer. [Perh. of Scandinavian origin, though not recorded in ON.; cf. Norw. and Sw. dial. flira, Da. dial. flire to grin, laugh unbecomingly.]
† 1. intr. To make a wry face, distort the countenance; to grin, grimace. Obs.
a. 1400[?]. [see FLEERING ppl. a.].
1530. Palsgr., 551/2. I fleere, I make an yvell countenaunce with the mouthe by uncoveryng of the tethe.
1570. Levins, Manip., 190. To flurre with the lippes, labia promittere.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., V. i. Screw your face o’t one side thus, and protest; let her fleere, and looke a skaunce, and hide her teeth with her fanne.
1683. Hickeringill, Trimmer, i. Wks. 1716, I. 358. Treat a Monky seriously, and correct him never so effectually, and he’le only flear at you.
a. 1715. Pennecuik, Truth’s Travels, Wks. (1815), 395.
| Falset began to fleir and Greit: | |
| But e’re the Judges were aware, | |
| They Haltered him baith Head and Feet, | |
| And harld him hard into the Barr. |
1790. D. Morison, Poems, 96.
| How then he’d stare wi’ sour grimace, | |
| Put on a consequential face, | |
| Syne flyre like some out-landish race, | |
| At wretched me! |
2. To laugh in a coarse, impudent, or unbecoming manner.
1553. Latimer, Serm. (1562), 115/b. In some places they go with the corses girnyng and fieeryng, as though they went to a beare-baiting.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertue’s Commonwealth (1878), 141. For you shall neuer see a drunkard so wel-aduised to aske counsell, or with patience marke good documents, but either fleere and laugh it out, or be furious and quarrelsome.
1747. T. Story, Life, 51. There being a Goose on the Table at Dinner, he, intending to disappoint me of a Part, whispered to me, so loud as that all about the Table heard him, ‘This is a Tythe-goose’; and then fleer’d.
1806. R. Jamieson, Pop. Ballads, I. 348.
| He hunkert him down like a clockin hen, | |
| An’ flyret at me as I wad hae him. |
1864. Daily Tel., 17 March. Impudent-looking wenches … leering and fleering and chuckling con amore.
† 3. To laugh or smile flatteringly or fawningly. Const. on, upon. Obs.
a 1500[?]. Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) II. 51.
| Though he flyer, flatter, and flicker, | |
| This fiste shall he not fleey. |
1549. Chaloner, trans. Erasm. Moriæ Enc., A iv. This next hir that fareth as if she flired upon you, and clappeth hir hands together, is Adulacion.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xi. How popular and curteous, how they grinne and fliere vpon euery man they meet.
1673. F. Kirkman, Unlucky Citizen, 166. I found no alteration, she still fleir’d on me.
4. To laugh mockingly or scornfully; to smile or grin contemptuously; hence, to gibe, jeer, sneer. Const. at, † upon.
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 1769.
| Tho two false wyth grete yre, | |
| Stode and behelde her ryche atyre, | |
| And beganne to lagh and flerye. |
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 1033/1. When they mocke all lessons that are giuen them and flyre at them, yea and set vp their hornes like Bulles to dash against God, and them that teach them.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords (Camden), 112. The affront of Sir J. B[ourchier] fleering into the L. Keeper’s face.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 8 March. All the people of the Hall did fleer and laugh upon him.
1732. Gay, Achilles, III. liv.
| Must you be fleering? | |
| Truce with your jeering. | |
| Know that your wits oft’ pay for your sneering. |
1825. Lamb, Vision of Horns, Wks. (1875), 351. Instead of apology, he only grinned and fleered in my face.
1875. Tennyson, Q. Mary, II. ii.
| Bagenhall. I have heard | |
| One of your Council fleer and jeer at him. |
5. trans. To laugh mockingly at, ridicule, deride.
1622. Fletcher, Span. Curate, IV. vii.
| Ama. I was fain to drive him like a sheep before me: | |
| I blush to think how people fleer’d and scorn’d me. |
1786–8. J. Williams (‘A. Pasquin’), The Children of Thespis, I. (1792), 52.
| The flirt of the fan, when young beauties are near ’em, | |
| Their-high born disdain, if keen Satire should fleer ’em. |
1871. Dixon. Tower, IV. vii. 73. Charles, who had not laughed since the Dutch burned Chatham, could not help joining in the laughter when that mimic fleered and mocked his [the King’s] Chancellor and Secretary of State.
Hence Fleered ppl. a.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., III. 109.
| Nor ne’er ten miles, was travell’d from his cradle | |
| Yet faine would sit, the fleer’d Pegasian saddle. |
