flak
Other forms: flaks
If you’re taking flak, chances are you’re in a bad situation and taking fire from an enemy. Flak can refer to criticism — or worse, explosive shells from an antiaircraft weapon.
Flak came into English as an abbreviation for the German word Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning 'aircraft-defense gun.' (Yikes! No wonder they abbreviated it.) If you’re dealing with a lot of flak, you’re either in a fighter plane over enemy territory drawing shots, or you’re dealing with a volley of criticism that seems like antiaircraft fire. If you show up late for work for a third day, you’ll probably take some flak from your coworkers — they’ll take verbal shots at you.
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artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanessynonyms: ack-ack, ack-ack gun, antiaircraft, antiaircraft gun, flack, pom-pomtypes:Bofors gunan automatic double-barreled antiaircraft guntype of:guna weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
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a slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employersynonyms: flack, flack catcher, flak catchertype of:interpreter, representative, spokesperson, voicean advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose
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intense adverse criticism
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Vocabulary lists containing flak
A series of linked stories explores the lifelong effects of trauma on a platoon of soldiers during and after the Vietnam War.
After finishing high school, aspiring writer Richard Perry does not have the money for college, so he decides to enlist in the army and ends up fighting for his life in Vietnam.