subs. (colloquial).—Nonsense (for synonyms, see GAMMON); humbug; flattery; or, a lie: as A REGULAR FLAM (for synonyms, see WHOPPER). Cf. FLIM-FLAM.
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes [Cf., FLIM-FLAM].
1647. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Humourous Lieutenant, iv., 1. With some new FLAM or other, nothing to the matter.
1664. BUTLER, Hudibras, pt. II., ch. iii., p. 29.
| A FLAM more senseless than the roguery | |
| Of old auruspicy and aug’ry. |
1742–4. R. NORTH, Lives of the Norths, ch. i., p. 368. They must have known his Lordship better and not have ventured such FLAMS at him.
1760. FOOTE, The Minor, Act II. Had the FLAM been fact, your behaviour was natural enough. Ibid. (1762) The Liar, bk. II., ch. ii. Can’t you discern that this FLAM of Sir James Elliot’s is a mere fetch to favour his retreat?
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, p. 298 (ed. 1854). Harry … told you as ow it was all a FLAM about the child in the bundle!
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘The Smuggler’s Leap’ (ed. 1862), p. 325.
| No trick nor FLAM, | |
| But your real Schiedam. |
1849. C. KINGSLEY, Alton Locke, ch. ii.
| And their pockets full they crams | |
| By their patriotic FLAMS, | |
| And then swear ’tis for the good of the nation. |
1850. D. JERROLD, The Catspaw, Act II. Though the story of that scoundrel Coolcard, Augustus Coolcard—and I was never before deceived—never—is a FLAM—all a FLAM.
1870. London Figaro, 22 Sept. Is not your boasted power a FLAM?
1887. W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Good-Night. You flymy titters fond of FLAM.
2. (old).—A single stroke on the drum.—[GROSE, 1785.]
Adj. (old).—False.
1692. SPRAT, Relation of Young’s Contrivance (Harleian Miscellany, vi. 224). To amuse him the more in his search, she addeth a FLAM story that she had got his hand by corrupting one of the letter-carriers in London.
Verb (colloquial).—1. To take in; to flatter; to lie; to foist or fob off. FLAMMING = lying.
1658. ROWLEY and FORD, &c., The Witch of Edmonton, ii., 2. Was this your cunning? and then FLAM me off with an old witch, two wives, and Winnifride.
1688. SHADWELL, The Squire of Alsatia, II. in wks. (1720) iv. 41. Does he think to FLAM me with a lye?
1830. S. WARREN, Diary of a Late Physician, ch. v. But I’ll show him whether or not I, for one of them, am to be jeered and FLAMMED with impunity.
1834. MARRYAT, Jacob Faithful, ch. xxviii. How she did FLAM that poor old Domine.
