flange

Etymology

From dialectal English flange (“to project”), flanch (“a projection”), from Old French flanche (“flank, side”). See flank. As a term for a group of baboons, it was popularized in the comedy TV series Not the Nine O'Clock News.

noun

1. An external or internal rib or rim, used either to add strength or to hold something in place.
2. The projecting edge of a rigid or semi-rigid component.
3. (roleplaying games) An ability in a role-playing game which is not commonly available, overpowered or arbitrarily imposed by the referees.
   [The] enduring problem with the Gathering is that [players] can't affect anything that happens ... whatever they do, the LT just flange it back to the original plot line. 1998, Mr MI Pennington, “Can the Players be Trusted?”, in rec.games.frp.live-action (Usenet)
   2007, "balor", Changing the metaphysics on Rule 7 https://web.archive.org/web/20071014193135/http://forums.rule7.co.uk/Topic28357-44-2.aspx 'Oh look, the amulet of flange has been activated, this means all Paladins now only have one heal per day instead of two.'
4. (vulgar slang) The vulva.
   I was in bed the other day with the missus and I asked to see her flange. Imagine my surprise when she got up went downstairs to my toolbox and brought me up a metal looking object called a flange!!!!! Needless to say when she asked to see my nuts the next time I obliged by doing exactly the same as her. 2001, tedfat, “Flange!!!!”, in alt.society.nottingham (Usenet)
   'God, she's got a tight flange!' the plumber gasped, splaying the girl's buttocks and focusing on her O-ring. 2003, Ray Gordon, Hot Sheets
5. (rare, humorous) The collective noun for a group of baboons.
   it's a flange of baboons 1980s (first use), Not the Nine O'clock News, Rowan Atkinson (actor)
   I suspect they hired a flange of baboons to mind the house. 2006, Rick Crosier, Getting Away with Murder
6. The electronic sound distortion produced by a flanger.

verb

1. (intransitive) To be bent into a flange.
2. (transitive, mechanics) To make a flange on; to furnish with a flange; to bend (esp. sheet metal) in the form of a flange.
3. (transitive, sound engineering) To mix two copies of together, one delayed by a very short, slowly varying time.