flour

flour

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Pronunciation

Flour: /flaʊər/

• flaow /flaʊ/

• er /ər/

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Word Form Variations

• Noun: flour (singular, uncountable)

• Verb: flour (base form), flours (third-person singular simple present), floured (simple past, past participle), flouring (present participle)

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A finely ground powder, typically made from grain (especially wheat), used as a primary ingredient in baking and cooking. It provides structure and body to various food items like bread, cakes, and pastries.

• Synonyms: meal, powder, dust, grist

• Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it describes a specific substance; one could consider "whole grain" if contrasting refined flour)

Verb

1. To lightly coat a surface or food item with flour, often to prevent sticking during cooking or baking, or to provide a coating before frying.

• Synonyms: dust, dredge, coat, sprinkle

• Antonyms: rinse, wash, scrape (in the sense of removing a coating)

2. To mix or incorporate flour into a liquid or other ingredients, as part of a recipe for a batter, dough, or sauce.

• Synonyms: blend, combine, mix, incorporate

• Antonyms: separate, extract, strain

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Examples of Use

Books:

• "She carefully measured out two cups of flour for the cake batter, sifting it to ensure a light and airy texture." (From a cookbook, The Joy of Baking, June 2021)

• "The old mill, once a bustling hub, now stood silent, its grindstones having processed countless tons of grain into flour for generations." (From a historical novel, Riverside Tales, January 2020)

Newspapers:

• "Global wheat prices have fluctuated significantly this quarter, impacting the cost of flour and subsequently, bread prices for consumers." (From an economic report in The Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2023)

• "Local bakeries are experimenting with alternative flours, such as almond and coconut, to cater to growing demand for gluten-free options." (The Guardian, October 2022)

Online Publications:

• "Our recipe for homemade pasta requires only semolina flour, water, and a pinch of salt for a surprisingly simple and delicious meal." (From a food blog, Serious Eats, February 2024)

• "Experts advise storing flour in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to prevent spoilage and insect infestations." (From a culinary advice website, Kitchn, November 2023)

Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Television Show (Cooking Competition): "Contestants, your next challenge is to create a show-stopping dessert using only whole wheat flour." (From MasterChef, Season 12, Episode 5, April 2023)

• Film (Documentary): A scene shows a traditional artisan meticulously sifting flour by hand to prepare dough for ancient bread recipes. (The Bread Whisperer, released June 2022)

• Online Video (YouTube Tutorial): "Today, we're going to learn how to make a basic roux – equal parts butter and flour, cooked until golden." (From Binging with Babish, January 2025)

General Public Discourse:

• "I ran out of all-purpose flour; I guess I'll have to make a quick trip to the grocery store before I can bake those cookies." (Conversation between friends, April 2025)

• "Do you think this type of flour will work for making tortillas, or should I stick to masa harina?" (Online forum discussion, September 2024)

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10 Quotes Using Flour

1. "The flour is not always fine because the mill is old." (Dutch Proverb)

2. "What a great flour you bring to the mills of the gods." (From The Frogs by Aristophanes, 405 BCE)

3. "He that will have a cake out of the wheat flour, must needs tarry the grinding." (William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, c. 1602)

4. "We grind our own flour, we bake our own bread, we raise our own vegetables, we have our own eggs, our own milk, our own honey." (Joel Salatin, speaking about Polyface Farm)

5. "A spoonful of flour will never make a cake." (Albanian Proverb)

6. "You can’t make bread without flour." (Common saying)

7. "Where there is no flour, there is no Torah." (Talmud, Pirkei Avot 3:17)

8. "Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter." (Attributed to James A. Michener, implying that bread, made from flour, is a staple)

9. "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and a good cook knows that flour is a fundamental building block." (Often attributed to various chefs and home cooks)

10. "The art of baking begins with the simple magic of flour and water." (Attributed to various bakers and culinary writers)

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Etymology

The word "flour" has a pretty interesting journey through language!

It comes from the Old French word "flour" (which is spelled the same but pronounced a bit differently), meaning "flower" or "blossom."

Now, you might be thinking, what does a flower have to do with the powder we bake with? Here's the connection:

• In the past, "flower" also referred to the finest, best, or choicest part of something. Think of "the flower of youth" meaning the best part of someone's life.

• When grain was ground, the very finest and purest part of the meal – the white powder separated from the coarser bits and bran – was considered the "flower" of the grain. It was the most refined and desirable part for baking.

So, essentially, "flour" started as a way to describe the "flower" or "best part" of the ground grain. Over time, this specific meaning for the finely ground powder stuck, and we now have "flour" as distinct from "flower" (the plant part).

The first known use of "flour" specifically to mean the finely ground meal from grain appeared in English around the 14th century. Before that, the general word "meal" was used for ground grain, but "flour" came to specify that superior, refined powder.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Flour

1. Dust with flour: To lightly sprinkle a surface or food with flour.

2. Flour a pan: To coat the inside of a baking pan with flour to prevent sticking.

3. Flour power: A playful phrase emphasizing the fundamental role of flour, especially in baking or bread-making, often implying its strength or versatility.

4. Knead the flour: To work dough containing flour by hand.

5. A dusting of flour: A light covering of flour.

6. Flour sack race: A traditional game where participants race while inside flour sacks.

7. Sift the flour: To pass flour through a sieve to remove lumps and aerate it.

8. The finest flour: Referring to the highest quality or most refined flour.

9. Stuck in the meal: (Using a synonym) Meaning to be bogged down or unable to progress, similar to being stuck in a large quantity of a powdery substance.

10. Grind the meal/flour: To process grain into flour, sometimes used metaphorically for a laborious or repetitive task.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of flour from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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