flaw

Noun (1)

flaw (plural flaws)

1. (obsolete) A flake, fragment, or shiver.
2. (obsolete) A thin cake, as of ice.
3. A crack or breach, a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion.
   • There is a flaw in that knife.
   • That vase has a flaw.
4. A defect, fault, or imperfection, especially one that is hidden.
   • Has not this also its flaws and its dark side?1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London

   Synonyms:

   vice

   1. An inclusion, stain, or other defect of a diamond or other gemstone.
   2. A defect or error in a contract or other document which may make the document invalid or ineffective.
      • a flaw in a will, in a deed, or in a statute

Verb

flaw (third-person singular simple present flaws, present participle flawing, simple past and past participle flawed)

1. (transitive) To add a flaw to, to make imperfect or defective.
2. (intransitive) To become imperfect or defective; to crack or break.

Noun (2)

IPA/ˈflɔː/

flaw (plural flaws)

1. A sudden burst or gust of wind of short duration; windflaw.
   • And snow and haile and stormie gust and flaw1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
   • Yniol with that hard message went; it fell, / Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn: […]1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 41
2. A storm of short duration.
3. A sudden burst of noise and disorder
   • And deluges of armies from the town / Come pouring in; I heard the mighty flaw.1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number)

   Synonyms:

   tumult, uproar, quarrel