From Latin flexus, past participle of flecto (“to bend”).
Meanings
(uncountable) Flexibility, pliancy.
(countable) An act of flexing.
The hills become more rounded. The slopes are either the stooped shoulders of an aging colossus or the muscular flexes of a geologic youngster, but they are pleasant, comforting. This landscape is what most would think of […] 2002, Gary Noy, Red Dirt: A Journey of Discovery in the Landscape of Imagination, California's Gold Country, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 144:
(Ireland, UK, uncountable) Any flexible insulated electrical wiring.
(countable) A flexible insulated electrical cord.
The books lent her by Dr Grimble on period furniture and ceramics interested her deeply, and she studied them at night in the silence of the shop, where she had a flex and a reading lamp installed at her own expense. 1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 57:
'That's enough,' said Le Chiffre. 'Tie his arms and put him in the car. Here,' he threw a roll of flex to the man. 1953, Ian Fleming, “The Crawling of the Skin”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 110:
(uncountable) Flexible ductwork, typically flexible plastic over a metal wire coil to shape a tube.
Flex is quick and cheaper to install than metallic systems, but it yields higher pressure loss than other types of ducts and requires runs of less than 15 feet, minimal turns and elimination of kinks. 2010, Aaron Lubeck, Green Restorations: Sustainable Building and Historic Homes, page 221:
(countable) A point of inflection.
(countable, slang) An act or instance of flaunting something; a boast or brag; something considered impressive.
It's an achievement to stand out from other Marvel movies in terms of special effects, but this whole movie feels like a flex for those computer wizards. 2019, Seth Sommerfeld, "Worldwide Web", Inlander, 4 July 2019 - 10 July 2019, page 37
Getting together with other power players at Masa is the ultimate flex of conspicuous consumption. […] A party of five or more requires a deposit of $200 per person at least one week prior to the reservation. 2017, "Mogul Bites", Black American Moguls, Fall 2017, page 6
fi venyttely (the act of flexing) · scn flissiuni (the act of flexing) · fi liitäntäjohto (insulated electrical wiring) · de Biegsamkeit (flexibility) · fi joustavuus (flexibility) · pt flexão (the act of flexing) · gd teud-dealain (insulated electrical wiring) · de Flexibilität (flexibility) · it flessibilità (flexibility) · nl flexibiliteit (flexibility) · nb ledning (insulated electrical wiring) · fi jousto (flexibility) · el καλώδιο (insulated electrical wiring) · bg шнур (insulated electrical wiring) · nl buigen (the act of flexing) · nl buigbaarheid (flexibility) · de Anschlusskabel (insulated electrical wiring) · it flessione (the act of flexing) · nl plooibaarheid (flexibility) · ca fantàstic (something one considers impressive) · fi pullistelu (the act of flexing) · pt flexibilidade (flexibility) · tr esneklik (flexibility) · ca increïble (something one considers impressive) · scn flissibbilità (flexibility) · bg гъвкавост (flexibility) · de Elastizität (flexibility) · da ledning (insulated electrical wiring) · fi vetreys (flexibility) · et ühendusjuhe (insulated electrical wiring) · nl plooien (the act of flexing) · ru ги́бкость (flexibility) · gd fleisg (insulated electrical wiring) · hu flex (something one considers impressive) · ca genial (something one considers impressive)
From Latin flexus, past participle of flecto (“to bend”).
Meanings
(qualifier:chiefly physics or biomechanics, transitive) To bend something.
The board flexes as you step on it.
(transitive) To repeatedly bend one of one's joints.
(transitive) To move part of the body using one's muscles.
(intransitive) To tighten the muscles for display of size or strength.
He rubbed his hands together. "Believe it or not, there was a time when I considered giving acting a go. What do you think, Miss Fox?" He flexed impressive biceps. "Would I have had a chance against the Schwarzeneggers and the Chuck Norris types?" 1994, Elise Title, Body Heat, page 189:
(slang, transitive) To boast or brag about; to flaunt (something).
I've got billions and billions of rhymes to flex / 'Cause I've got more rhymes than Carl Sagan's got turtlenecks 2004, “Hey Fuck You”, in To the 5 Boroughs, performed by Beastie Boys:
(intransitive, slang) To flaunt one's superiority; to show off.
They say it's lonely at the top, but this the best shit ever / Hey, don't you see me out here shinin'? Bitch I'm barely flexin' 2017, “Kill Jill”, in Boomiverse, performed by Big Boi ft. Killer Mike and Jeezy:
I shook my head, wondering if I was gonna have to knock Pimp on his ass. "I don't know where," I flexed on him with my height advantage, "you getting all this 'soft' bullshit from, dawg, but you just keep fuckin around. I can show you gangsta better than I can tell you." 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 108:
it flettere (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · pt flexionar (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · pt flexionar (1. to bend something) · it flettere (1. to bend something) · it contrarre (4. to tighten one's muscles) · de knicken (1. to bend something) · fi flexata (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · ro contracta (4. to tighten one's muscles) · cs chlubit se (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · ru фле́ксить (4. to tighten one's muscles) · es fisiquear (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · fi pullistella (4. to tighten one's muscles) · ru напряга́ть (4. to tighten one's muscles) · fi taivuttaa (1. to bend something) · ru гнуть (1. to bend something) · cs flexit (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · da bøje (4. to tighten one's muscles) · fr fléchir (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · de Muskeln f spielen lassen (4. to tighten one's muscles) · ko 플렉스하다 (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · ko 뽐내다 (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · bg прегъвам (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · fi venytellä (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · ms menunjuk-nunjuk (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · de biegen (1. to bend something) · nl buigen (1. to bend something) · nl samentrekken (4. to tighten one's muscles) · it piegare (1. to bend something) · nl plooien (1. to bend something) · da strække (1. to bend something) · el επιδεικνύω (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · fi venytellä (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · mi whanawhana (1. to bend something) · nl plooien (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · hu izmozik (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · es fisiquear (4. to tighten one's muscles) · fi rehvastella (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · hu flexel (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · pl prężyć (4. to tighten one's muscles) · bg огъвам (1. to bend something) · ko 나대다 (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · pl napinać (4. to tighten one's muscles) · de beugen (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · mi whakawhena (4. to tighten one's muscles) · ru хва́статься (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · it flettere (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · fr bander (4. to tighten one's muscles) · sh napeti (4. to tighten one's muscles) · ru изгиба́ть (1. to bend something) · pt tensionar (4. to tighten one's muscles) · da bevæge (1. to bend something) · da bøje (1. to bend something) · de sich biegen (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · hu menőzik (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · cs ohýbat (1. to bend something) · da bøje (3. to move part of the body using one's muscles) · cs ohnout (1. to bend something) · ru фле́ксить (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · el φλεξάρω (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · da bøje (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · pt flexionar (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · cs machrovat (6. intransitive, slang: to flaunt one's superiority) · nl plooien (2. to repeatedly bend one's joints) · sk napnúť (4. to tighten one's muscles) · fi jännittää lihaksiaan (4. to tighten one's muscles)