Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
get flak

get flak

Date: Nov 05 2009

Themes: Health, Party

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

“I got a lot of flak for that song from some of the other parents at my daughter’s school.”

- Jamie Foxx talking about his song “Blame It,” which is about drinking. (US Weekly)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

receive strong criticism

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Jamie Foxx’s song “Blame It,” which talks about a guy who gets a woman drunk so she’ll hook up with him, doesn’t send a very positive message to young girls. So it’s understandable that some of the parents of his 13-year-old daughter’s friends have criticized him for the song, or given him flak for it.

The expression get flak comes from World War II. Flak is short for a very long German word that refers to a military airplane gun. When American soldiers got fired on in the air by German planes, they called it getting flak. Later, the expression evolved to mean receive a lot of criticism. Just think of the negative things people say about you as bullets or shells being fired at you. That’s what it means to get flak.

Sometimes instead of get flak we say take or catch flak. The person who does the criticizing is said to give flak. A similar expression to get flak that also comes from the military is be under fire. You could say that Jamie Foxx is under fire at his daughter’s school for writing an unwholesome song.

When was the last time you got flak for something? Do you think Jamie Foxx deserved to get flak for writing a song about drinking?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

“I got a lot of flak from my parents for failing biology last semester.”

“He does whatever he wants and doesn’t mind if he has to take flak for it later.”

“I wish you wouldn’t give me so much flak about my tattoo.”

“I can’t miss another class or I’ll get flak from my teacher.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

Turmeric to receive a good deal of disapproval and harsh criticizm.
by Turmeric
happy37 it means when a person recieves strong criticism
by happy37
fedorame to be criticized fiercely
by fedorame
FETT1990 get flak...means...get censure
by FETT1990
It means he got alot of criticism and complaint
by Shinichi Lover
Evelinutea got a lot of flank - got a lot of criticism
by Evelinutea
katrinaxia attacks, criticism。
by katrinaxia
chomo criticism~!
by chomo
It means some parents don't like and criticize it.
by Mr.Bean's wife
echo.xu I think Jamie Foxx get severe criticism from some of the other parents at his daughter's schoo. get flak means get criticism
by echo.xu
Lubna Alyy I guess the slang phrase 'got a lot of flak' means strong criticism.
by Lubna Alyy
veayai to receive some criticism
by veayai
bistraxx to be criticized and rebuked
by bistraxx
_Sasha_ means "to be criticized, censured"
by _Sasha_

Want to guess next week's slang?

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Comments

Log in to Comment

mira_ask

mira_ask

Kazakhstan

i can't remember when i got flak last time))) i think it was away back… 

in my opinion Foxx deserved be flakked, cos he is exemlar for a lot of people, like his teenage daughter….

11:30 AM Nov 05 2009 |

))~~#~~RO$E~~%~~((

Saudi Arabia

I don’t remember when was the last time I got flak
but I think it’s anormal thing in our life 2 have
such a situation like that,& Jamie Foxx deserved
2 get flak cuz drinking is not a good topic 2 write
a song about it especially 4 young people!!!

07:59 AM Nov 05 2009 |

Likes (15):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast