Flour

[flouuh r, flou-er] /flaʊər, ˈflaʊ ər/

noun
1.
the finely ground meal of grain, especially the finer meal separated by bolting.
2.
the finely ground and bolted meal of wheat, as that used in baking.
3.
a finely ground, powdery foodstuff, as of dehydrated potatoes, fish, or bananas.
4.
a fine, soft powder:
flour of emery.
verb (used with object)
5.
to make (grain or the like) into flour; grind and bolt.
6.
to sprinkle or dredge with flour:
Flour the chicken before frying.
verb (used without object)
7.
(of mercury) to refuse to amalgamate with another metal because of some impurity of the metal; lie on the surface of the metal in the form of minute globules.
8.
to disintegrate into minute particles.
/ˈflaʊə/
noun
1.
a powder, which may be either fine or coarse, prepared by sifting and grinding the meal of a grass, esp wheat
2.
any finely powdered substance
verb
3.
(transitive) to make (grain) into flour
4.
(transitive) to dredge or sprinkle (food or cooking utensils) with flour
5.
(of mercury) to break into fine particles on the surface of a metal rather than amalgamating, or to produce such an effect on (a metal). The effect is caused by impurities, esp sulphur
n.

early 13c., flur “flower” (see flower (n.)); meaning “finer portion of ground grain” is mid-13c., from the notion of flour as the “finest part” of meal (cf. French fleur de farine), as distinguished from the coarser parts (meal). Spelled flower until flour became the accepted form c.1830 to end confusion.
v.

“to sprinkle with flour,” 1650s, from flour (n.). Related: Floured; flouring.

Grain reduced to the form of meal is spoken of in the time of Abraham (Gen. 18:6). As baking was a daily necessity, grain was also ground daily at the mills (Jer. 25:10). The flour mingled with water was kneaded in kneading-troughs, and sometimes leaven (Ex. 12:34) was added and sometimes omitted (Gen. 19:3). The dough was then formed into thin cakes nine or ten inches in diameter and baked in the oven. Fine flour was offered by the poor as a sin-offering (Lev. 5:11-13), and also in connection with other sacrifices (Num. 15:3-12; 28:7-29).