Flimsy

Definitions

1. A thing which is ill-founded, unconvincing, or weak.
   countable, dated, historical, uncountable
2. Thin typing paper used together with carbon paper in a typewriter to make multiple copies of a document; (countable) a sheet of such paper.
   also, attributive, dated, historical, uncountable
3. A document printed or typed on such paper.
   broadly, countable, dated, historical, slang
4. A service certificate.
   broadly, countable, dated, historical, slang
5. A banknote; (uncountable) paper money.
   broadly, countable, dated, historical, slang
6. The text to be set into pages of magazines, newspapers, etc.; copy.
   broadly, dated, historical, uncountable
7. A hexahedral metal container with a capacity of four imperial gallons (about 18 litres) used by the British Army during World War II to hold fuel.
   UK, countable, dated, historical, slang, uncountable

Equivalents

5 more languages

العربيةضعيف

Češtinabratři držme sechabýchatrný

Dansksvagtynd

Suomihataraheppoinenkanisteriläpilyöntipaperiniukka+ 2 more

Gaeilgepáipéar tanaí

Examples

“Is every body incapable of reaſon, and making a right eſtimate of the merits of men? caught vvith mere outſide? chooſing the flimſy before the ſubſtantial?”

““‘Pray, miss⟳,’ he said, ‘do not interrupt⟳ me. I represent⟳ the Press⟳. The Fourth Estate, miss⟳. I’m afraid I shan’t have⟳ enough flimsy.’ “Those were his very words, Kate. By flimsy, I learn⟳ that he meant writing paper. Do our great poets—does my adored [Alfred, Lord] Tennyson write⟳ on ‘flimsy?’[”]”

“I had just finished breakfast and was filling my pipe when I got Bullivant's telegram. […] I flung him the flimsy with the blue strip⟳ pasted down on it, and he whistled.”

“She dragged the cover⟳ off the typewriter with sound⟳ and fury, jerked the desk-drawers till they slammed against the drawer-stops, shook the top-sheet carbons and flimsies together as a terrier shakes a rat, and attacked the machine tempestuously.”

“'I told you that I had an answer⟳ to that cable, Mr Stewart,' he said directly. 'I'm afraid it isn't very satisfactory.' He passed the flimsy to Keith, who could not read⟳ it without the steel-rimmed spectacles he always had to use⟳ for close⟳ work⟳.”

“Smiley peered once more at the flimsy which he still clutched in his pudgy hand.”

“A perusal of the comments of officers under whom he [Captain Duncan Herbert Stevens] has served as recorded in his “flimsies" indicates that he has almost consistently received high commendation for his service.”

“Regulations required a commanding officer to render annual confidential reports on the character and ability of his officers – with particular reference to sobriety – on forms known as ‘flimsies’.”

“In English Exchequer-bills full half a million, / Not “kites,” manufactured to cheat and inveigle, / But the right sort⟳ of ‘flimsy,’ all sign’d by Monteagle.”

“THE THIEVES' ALPHABET. […] Q was a Queer-screen, that served as a blind;†† / R was a Reader,‡‡ with flimsies well lined; […]”

“[page 31] Sub-editors are now hard at work⟳ cutting down "flimsy," ramming sheets of "copy⟳" on files, endlessly conferring with perspiring foremen. […] [page 34] The last⟳ report⟳ from the late debate⟳ in the Commons has come⟳ in; the last⟳ paragraph of interesting news, dropped into the box by a stealthy penny-a-liner, has been eliminated from a mass of flimsy on its probation, and for the most part rejected; […]”

“But the Q[uartermaster] has ballsed-up T3 patrol's fuel ration; instead of jerry cans we get⟳ "flimsies," the notorious four-gallon containers made of metal so thin you can practically puncture it with a fingernail. Flimsies come⟳ two to a case, packed in cardboard. Of seventy-six that Collier's crew take⟳ down from the Mack, twenty-one are leaking at the seams; eleven have⟳ drained half to nil.”

CEFR level