Showing posts with label flare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flare. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

flare, flair

Flare or flare means the burning torch used as a warning or a call for help, whether it is launched into the air or set on a stand--
They sent up a signal flare every twenty minutes, hoping a ship would see it and come to their rescue.
The police came and lit a flare, so that the disabled car wouldn't cause an accident.

Flare also means to burn or blaze, especially suddenly or erratically, literally or figuratively--
The wind made the candle flare and die out.
He has a tendency to let his temper flare at the least provocation.

Flare also means to spread gradually or widen at the end--
She wants the skirt to flare, so it will look good when she skates.
He wants his pants to flare like the end of a trumpet.

Flair or flair ( rhymes with flare ) means a special knack, style or panache--
He always does things with a certain flair.
I think those old things are tacky, but he thinks they have flair.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She is so out of it that she thinks pants that flare at the bottom have flair."