fleer

Probably from a Scandinavian source, compare Norwegian bokmål flire (“to giggle”), Jutish Danish flire.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /flɪə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /flɪɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

fleer (third-person singular simple present fleers, present participle fleering, simple past and past participle fleered)

1. (archaic) To make a wry face in contempt, or to grin in scorn

   Synonyms: deride, sneer, mock, gibe

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 5 Scene 1

     LEONATO. Tush, tush, man! never fleer and jest at me:

     I speak not like a dotard nor a fool,

     As, under privilege of age, to brag

     What I have done being young, or what would do,

     Were I not old.

   • 1837 Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History

     [I]n short, sneering and fleering at him in her cold barren way[.]

2. (archaic) To grin with an air of civility; to leer.
   • Latimer

     Grinning and fleering as though they went to a bear baiting.

fleer (uncountable)

1. (archaic) mockery; derision

From flee +‎ -er

• IPA^(key): /ˈfliːə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -iːə(ɹ)

fleer (plural fleers)

1. one who flees

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ld. Berners to this entry?)

• Freel, refel