noun
flam
flam
Flam (noun) means a lie or a deceptive trick meant to mislead someone. Example: “His excuse turned out to be nothing but a flam to get out of trouble.”
noun
1
A lie or a deceptive trick meant to mislead someone.
"His excuse turned out to be nothing but a flam to get out of trouble."
2
In drumming, a quick pair of strokes — a soft grace note right before a louder main beat — played so close together they sound almost like one note.
"The drummer opened the fill with a sharp flam on the snare."
verb
1
To deceive someone with a made-up story.
"He tried to flam his boss with a story about a family emergency."
How to use flam
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither an old word for a lie/trick, or (in drumming) a two-stroke ornament that sounds like one thick beat.
Common pairings
a flam on the snare
nothing but flam
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Word forms
- Plural
- flams
- Third person singular
- flams
- Past tense
- flammed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His excuse turned out to be nothing but a _____ to get out of trouble.
Etymology
Comes from the older word "flim-flam," meaning a deceptive trick or nonsense talk.
Rhymes for flam
See all rhymes for flam →Frequently asked questions
What does “flam” mean?
The word “flam” means a lie or a deceptive trick meant to mislead someone. In plain terms, either an old word for a lie/trick, or (in drumming) a two-stroke ornament that sounds like one thick beat.
How do you pronounce “flam”?
“Flam” is pronounced flam (/flæm/ in IPA).
How do you use “flam” in a sentence?
Here is “flam” used in a sentence: “His excuse turned out to be nothing but a flam to get out of trouble.”
What part of speech is “flam”?
Depending on how it is used, “flam” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “flam” have?
“Flam” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a lie or a deceptive trick meant to mislead someone.
