floss
nounverbnounnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//flɒs//
- United States//flɔs//
- //flɑs//
A thread used to clean the gaps between the teeth.
noun
- 1
A thread used to clean the gaps between the teeth.
- 2
Raw silk fibres.
- 3
The fibres covering a corncob etc.; the loose downy or silky material inside the husks of certain plants, such as beans.
- 4
Any thread-like material having parallel strands that are not spun or wound around each other.
embroidery floss
- 5
Spun sugar or cotton candy, especially in the phrase "candy floss".
- 6
A body feather of an ostrich.
Flosses are soft, and grey from the female and black from the male.
- 7
A dance move in which the dancer repeatedly swings their arms, with clenched fists, from the back of their body to the front, on each side.
Etymology
Unclear: * Possibly from French floche (“tuft of wool”), from floc, from Old French flosche (“down, velvet”), from Latin floccus (“piece of wool”), probably from Frankish *flokkō (“down, wool, flock”), from Proto-Germanic *flukkô (“down, piece of wool, flock”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewk- (“hair, fibres, tuft”). * Or, from Middle English *flos (attested in Middle English Flosmonger (a surname)), from Proto-West Germanic *fleus, related to English fleece. Cognate with Old High German flocko (“down”), Middle Dutch vlocke (“flock”), Norwegian dialectal flugsa (“snowflake”), Dutch flos (“plush”) (tr=17c.).
verb
- 1
To clean the area between (the teeth) using floss.
I don't floss very often.
I floss my teeth twice a day.
- 2
slangTo show off, especially by exhibiting one's wealth or talent.
As the label's name no doubt implies, these rappers aren't your typical crew, even if they still like to floss and represent their city.
“Ms. Jackson” is probably the most sensitive—and realistic—take on relationships to come out of hip-hop, while “Red Velvet” cautions would-be playas against pushing the floss envelope around “dirty boys” just waiting for a chance to add some gray flecks to that fur.
It's impossible to floss wealth without attracting envy.
- 3
To perform the floss dance move.
noun
- 1
A small stream of water.
- 2
Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present.
Etymology
From dialectal flosh (“a flush, stream of water, sluice”), from Middle English flosche, flusche, flasche, flaske (“a watery or marshy place, swamp”), perhaps from Old French flache, from Middle Dutch vlacke (“a flat area, plain”), ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *fleutan. Compare also German Floss (“a float”).
noun
- 1
The common rush (Juncus effusus).
Etymology
Origin obscure. Perhaps of North Germanic origin. Compare Norwegian flos, flus (“rind, scale, strip peeled off”).
Forms
- plural
- flosses
- past tense
- flossed
- past participle
- flossed
- present participle
- flossing
- third person singular
- flosses
floss · A thread used to clean the gaps between the teeth.
flour · Powder obtained by grinding or milling cereal grains,…flourish · To thrive or grow well.flow · Movement in people or things characterized with a continuous…