v. Obs. Forms: 4 flecchi, flechchi, (? misprint) fleeche, 3–5 flecche. See also FLINCH v. [ad. OF. flechir (mod.F. fléchir to bend), also flechier to bend, turn aside, flinch; of obscure etymology; connection of some kind with L. flectĕre to bend, is commonly assumed, but the supposition has not been shown to be in accord with phonological laws.]
1. intr. To bend, flinch, give way; to waver, vacillate. Obs.
c. 1300. Beket, 951. Therfor he moste him wel bithenche: and ne flecchi noȝt.
c. 1325. Poem Times Edw. II., 452, in Pol. Songs (Camden), 344.
| For hadde the clergie harde holden to-gidere, | |
| And noht flecched aboute nother hider ne thidere. |
1340. Ayenb., 253. Þet þou ne flechchi uor to leue to guod red.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 763.
| He set his siȝt sadli · to þat windowe euene, | |
| boute flecchinge or feyntise · from morwe til eue. |
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 411. Ffor þe staat of holy chirche in Engelond, þat was ȝit ruyde and boistous, schulde nouȝt fleeche [L. vacillaret].
13[?]. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 616/171.
| Sour vergeous schal make þe deuel adrad, | |
| ffor he fleccheþ fro godes spous. |
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., xli.
| Some man … Dampnable erroure holdith, and can not flecche | |
| For no counseille ne rede, as dide a wrecche. |
2. trans. To turn out, drive away.
Perh. another word; cf. O.E. flęcȝan (once) to drive away.
a. 1300. Cursor Mundi, 993 (Trin.).
| Out is he put Adam þe wrecched | |
| Fro paradis fouly flecched. |
