flak

Criticism or judgment. It is a shortening of the German word Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning "anti-aircraft gun." Come on, I'm trying my best—stop giving me so much flak. You will definitely get flak if they find out that you were responsible for the printing error. The senator deserves to catch flak for those misogynistic remarks about his opponent.

get flak

To receive a lot of criticism, judgment, or teasing (for something). It is a shortening of the German word Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning "anti-aircraft gun." Because I'm in a family full of surgeons, I get a lot of flak for my career in the arts. You will definitely get flak if they find out that you were responsible for the printing error. The senator deserves to get flak for those misogynistic remarks about his opponent.

get the flak

To be blamed (for something). It is a shortening of the German word Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning "anti-aircraft gun." Henderson causes all sorts of problems with our projects, but I'm always the one who gets the flak! You will definitely get the flak if they find out that you were responsible for the printing error. The senator deserves to get the flak! He's clearly on tape making misogynistic remarks about his opponent.

take flak

To receive a lot of criticism, judgment, or teasing (for something). Because I'm in a family full of surgeons, I take a lot of flak for my career in the arts.

take the flak

To be blamed (for something). Henderson causes all sorts of problems with our projects, but I'm always the one who takes the flak!

get/take (the) ˈflak (for something)

(informal) receive severe criticism: He’s taken a lot of flak for his unpopular decisions. ♢ Why do I always get the flak when something goes wrong around here?

Flak is bullets from guns on the ground that are shooting at enemy aircraft.

flak

and flack (flæk)

1. n. complaints; criticism; negative feedback. (Originally referred to antiaircraft guns and the explosions and damage they caused. The first form is an initialism from German Fliegerabwehrkanonen = flyer defense cannons. I.e., the initial fl plus the first a plus the k.) Why do I have to get all the flak for what you did?

2. n. publicity; hype. Who is going to believe this flack about being first-rate?

3. n. a public relations agent or officer. The flak made an announcement and then disappeared.

See also:

References in periodicals archive

"Flak" Houses is an import and may be difficult to find.

"Flak" Houses then and Now: The Story of American Rest Homes in England During WWII

Always closely in touch with childrenCOs fads and crazes, the Flik Flak brand makes telling the time fun with colour-coded hour and minute numbers.

Telling time is fun time

It would be now that Flak Jacket would be sent to the races, running four, maybe five times before the Goodwood contest arrived.

Horse Racing: Has Nicholls got himself a new Jacket? WATCHING THE TRAINERS

The city was burning, bombers were going down, flak was coming up, fighter flares were turning night into day, and we were struggling to get along in old "Able Mabel," the most venerable of all our squadron aircraft with more than 120 "ops" painted on her nose ...

The random nature of late war combat

Although Webster's Collegiate defines flack (alternate spelling, flak) nonpejoratively as "one who provides publicity, a press agent," Willard confesses it can be a derogatory term "unless used by someone who is one."

It takes a good Flak to know one, and it takes a journey to get there

Today's edition of The Sun said that with the flak jacket intact, investigators could have pinpointed where the two bullets entered and whether they would have been stopped by the protective plates.

Blow of lost flak jacket evidence

An MoD report later said he would have survived the shooting if he had been wearing tough ceramic plates in his flak jacket.

Victim's flak vest destroyed

And Venus, who had groin and stomach problems before her 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 loss, admitted: "If it wasn't the Wimbledon Final the chances of me playing probably would have went down."Serena and I have taken a lot of flak, so I felt I had to take one for the team.

Tennis: Wimbledon 2003: 'I had to take one for team'

Flak's doubts about the Kinkade persona are not unreasonable.

Angry at Daddy

Cardinal Thomas Winning of Glasgow continues to take flak, not only from politicians, but also from dissident members of his own clergy, particularly one Fr.

Bishops not united on Section 28

Before that, Intel -- the makers of Pentium processors which power many of the PCs in homes and offices -- took some flak when it was discovered that some of its Pentium II and Celeron chips were shipped with an activated serial number which could ultimately identify its users.

How secure is your computer anyway?

But only later did Donaldson learn his ABC producer, David Kaplan, had suddenly changed his mind and decided to trail him in an unprotected van marked "TV," even refusing an offer of a flak jacket.

Danger zone; Bosnian, Serbian snipers target journalists

[USA], July 26 (ANI): Makeup mogul Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott faced social media flak for parking their car in a spot reserved for the people with disabilities.

Kylie Jenner, Travis Scott criticised for parking in spot reserved for handicapped

15, drew flak from critics, prompting Majority Leader Rolando Andaya to 'recommit' them to the committee level.

DILG opposes House Cha-cha proposals