n. [ Etym. uncertain; cf. 1st Fake. ] A flat layer, or fake, of a coiled cable.

Flake after flake ran out of the tubs, until we were compelled to hand the end of our line to the second mate. F. T. Bullen. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flaked p. pr. & vb. n. Flaking. ] To form into flakes. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To separate in flakes; to peel or scale off. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Icel. flaki, fleki, Dan. flage, D. vlaak. ] 1. A paling; a hurdle. [ prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A platform of hurdles, or small sticks made fast or interwoven, supported by stanchions, for drying codfish and other things. [ 1913 Webster ]

You shall also, after they be ripe, neither suffer them to have straw nor fern under them, but lay them either upon some smooth table, boards, or flakes of wands, and they will last the longer. English Husbandman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) A small stage hung over a vessel's side, for workmen to stand on in calking, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Icel. flakna to flake off, split, flagna to flake off, Sw. flaga flaw, flake, flake plate, Dan. flage snowflake. Cf. Flag a flat stone. ] 1. A loose filmy mass or a thin chiplike layer of anything; a film; flock; lamina; layer; scale; as, a flake of snow, tallow, or fish. “Lottle flakes of scurf.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great flakes of ice encompassing our boat. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A little particle of lighted or incandescent matter, darted from a fire; a flash. [ 1913 Webster ]

With flakes of ruddy fire. Somerville. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) A sort of carnation with only two colors in the flower, the petals having large stripes. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. a person who behaves strangely; a flaky{ 2 } person. [ Colloq. ] [ PJC ]

Flake knife (Archæol.), a cutting instrument used by savage tribes, made of a flake or chip of hard stone. Tylor. --
Flake stand, the cooling tub or vessel of a still worm. Knight. --
Flake white. (Paint.) (a) The purest white lead, in the form of flakes or scales. (b) The trisnitrate of bismuth. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being flaky. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Consisting of flakes or of small, loose masses; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes or layers; flakelike. [ 1913 Webster ]

What showers of mortal hail, what flaky fires! Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

A flaky weight of winter's purest snows. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. prone to strange or erratic behavior; -- of persons. [ PJC ]

3. odd, unpredictable or unconventional; offbeat; whacky; -- of behavior. [ PJC ]

4. unpredictable, erratic, or unreliable; -- of machinery, especially electronic devices. “a flaky computer board.” [ PJC ]