- Typically used to passive aggressively describe someone who bailed on plans or events
flake (4)
noun metaphor
A person who invariably cancels plans shortly before the events are set to occur out of a poor excuse like laziness or their own incompetence.
Etymology : Flake in this instance is used to metaphorically compare a flake of a substance like paint or bread to a person’s planning abilities. One way that this is accomplished is by comparing the thin, flimsy nature of a flake to the person’s lack of structure or rigidity in their social pursuits. This comparison is also accomplished by referring to the creation of a flake — how it easily comes off of its source material, like the person with an event easily cancels it. This term could have also originated from “flaky” — originally being used to describe a physical object in space, being broadened to include more abstract ideas that were considered unstructured.
Source : “He didn’t show up to your date? That’s awful, man. I hate flakes.” -conversation with friend October 2019
Last modified: 10 December 2019