[ˈflanl], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a kind of soft woven fabric, typically made of wool or cotton and slightly milled and raised
(e.g: a check flannel shirt)

- a small piece of towelling used for washing oneself

- bland fluent talk indulged in to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly
(e.g: a simple admittance of ignorance was much to be preferred to any amount of flannel)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English: probably from Welsh gwlanen ‘woollen article’, from gwlân ‘wool’

[ˈflanl], (Verb)

Definitions:
- use bland fluent talk to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly
(e.g: he apologised for the situation and then flannelled on about ramping up production)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English: probably from Welsh gwlanen ‘woollen article’, from gwlân ‘wool’