flit
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old Norse flytja (“to move”). Cognate with Swedish: flytta, Danish/Norwegian: flytte, Faroese: flyta.
Pronunciation [edit]
- Rhymes: -ɪt
Noun [edit]
flit (plural flits)
- A fluttering or darting movement.
- (physics) A particular, unexpected, short lived change of state.
- My computer just had a flit.
- (slang) A homosexual.
Verb [edit]
flit (third-person singular simple present flits, present participle flitting, simple past and past participle flitted)
- To move about rapidly and nimbly.
- 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6
- There were many apes with faces similar to his own, and further over in the book he found, under "M," some little monkeys such as he saw daily flitting through the trees of his primeval forest. But nowhere was pictured any of his own people; in all the book was none that resembled Kerchak, or Tublat, or Kala.
- 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6
- To move quickly from one location to another.
- (physics) To unpredictably change state for short periods of time.
- My blender flits because the power cord is damaged.
- (informal) To move house (especially a sudden move to avoid debts).
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to move about rapidly and nimbly
to move quickly from one location to another
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to unpredictably change state for short periods
Adjective [edit]
flit (comparative more flit, superlative most flit)
- (poetic, obsolete) Fast, nimble.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iv:
- And in his hand two darts exceeding flit, / And deadly sharpe he held [...].
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iv:
Anagrams [edit]
Scots [edit]
Verb [edit]
tae flit (third-person singular simple present flits, present participle flittin, simple past flittit, past participle flittit)
- to move house
- to flit
Derived terms [edit]
Swedish [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
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Audio (file)
Noun [edit]
flit c
