Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./Irish) to beat, to thrash; thus flaking n., a beating.

1841		S.C. Hall Ireland II. 316: As long as my back was sore with the flaking I was mad enough with him; but now, wouldn’t I say, ‘Flake away, my jewil and be welcome’.
1868		Argus (Melbourne) 7 Mar. 6/4: The jury were sufficiently well up in colonial slang to know that to ‘pull’ meant to prosecute, but [...] ‘flakeing’ [...] was something beyond their comprehension altogether. Explanations ensued, and it was then discovered that a flakeing meant a thrashing.
1870		E. Greey Queen’s Sailors III 5: He was flaked upon the wharf.
1910		D. Stewart Devil of Dartmoor in Illus. Police News 17 Sept. 12/3: ‘You won’t get me flaked (flogged) again’.
1932		S. O’Faoláin Stories (1970) 110: I once stole an apple in the nun’s orchard. And then they caught me and and gave me a flaking .
1950		S. Murphy Stone Mad (1966) 97: An’ the terrier hauled off an’ made a flake at him.
1966		P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 161: As if there was ever an ass foaled that didn’t need a proper flaking before it would budge a foot!
1972		C. Bukowski Erections, Ejaculations etc. 441: LSD can flake you too [...] bad acid like bad whores can take you out.
1992		P. McCabe Butcher Boy (1993) 4: Ma pulled me downstairs and gave me the mother and father of a flaking.
1996		(con. 1950s) C. Kenneally Maura’s Boy 116: Dave’s threat to ‘flake the backside off him’ if he didn’t get out of bed.