flummery
A custard; any of several bland, gelatinous foodstuffs, usually made from stewed fruit…A custard; any of several bland, gelatinous foodstuffs, usually made from stewed fruit and thickened with oatmeal, cornstarch or flour.
Meaning
5 senses(countable, uncountable)A custard; any of several bland, gelatinous foodstuffs, usually made from stewed fruit and thickened with oatmeal, cornstarch or flour.
a bland custard or pudding especially of oatmeal
A custard; any of several bland, gelatinous foodstuffs, usually made from stewed fruit and thickened with oatmeal, cornstarch or flour.
(countable, historical, specifically, uncountable)A slightly tart, jelly-like food of Welsh origin, made from extensively boiling oats, then boiling down the liquid extracted from it.
(countable, uncountable)Empty or meaningless talk, especially when used to flatter.
(countable, uncountable)Pretentious trappings, useless ornaments used to impress.
(countable, uncountable)Deceptive or blustering speech.
1940, Rex Stout, Over My Dead Body "Pfui! This is flummery!"
Origin
Borrowed from Welsh llymru (“a sour jelly derived from boiled oatmeal”), of uncertain origBorrowed from Welsh llymru (“a sour jelly derived from boiled oatmeal”), of uncertain origin, perhaps related to llymrig (“slippery”).
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Forms
plural: flummeries| Singular | flummery |
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| Plural | flummeries |
regular
Synonyms
2 synonymsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable