Obs. Forms: 1–4 flan, 3–4 flon, 4–5 flone, 5–9 Sc. flane, 5–6 flain(e, (6 flayn). [OE. flán masc. and fem. = ON. fleinn masc., cognate with OE. flá: see FLO. The word survived longest in Sc.; otherwise the normal form would have been flone.] An arrow.
Beowulf, 2438 (Gr.).
| Syððan hyne Hæðcyn of hornboȝan | |
| his freawine, flane ȝeswencte. |
a. 1000. Byrhtnoth, 71 (Gr.). Þurh flanes flyht.
a. 1225. Juliana, 7. Þe flan þe of luue fleoð.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1161. At vche [þat] wende vndir wande wapped a flone.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., iv. 152.
| Ane Bow he bent, ane flane with fedderis gray | |
| He haillit to the heid. |
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., iii. 32.
| Dartis about him swyftlie could he fling, | |
| And rin ane rais and shortlie turne ane steid; | |
| Cunning of Crosbow, cutthrot, and culuering; | |
| Ane flaine lat fle with bow in tyme of neid. |
1724. Poems on Royal Company of Archers, 34.
| To see them draw the bended yew, | |
| Brings bygane ages to our view, | |
| When burnish’d swords and whizzing flanes | |
| Forbade the Norwegens and Danes, | |
| Romans and Saxons, to invade | |
| A nation of nae foes afraid. |
