1. the process of stripping blubber or skin from a whale or seal
Usage: whaling; technical

Examples

• The crew began flenching the whale immediately after hauling it aboard.
• Flenching required sharp knives and experienced hands.
• The flenching process was essential for extracting valuable whale oil.
• Traditional flenching techniques were passed down through generations of whalers.
• Modern flenching operations use mechanized equipment.
• The flenching deck was slippery with oil and blood.