adj
Meaning 1
Fast, nimble.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, poetic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
flit
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/flɪt/
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɪt
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CMU ARPABET: F L IH1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A fluttering or darting movement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A sudden departure from a property.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I did a flit, as the landlord was due to arrive to collect the rent.
- let's do a moonlight flit, if the loanshark catches us here tomorrow without the money to pay our debts, he'll break our fingers.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A particular, unexpected, short lived change of state.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics
Examples
- My computer just had a flit.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A homosexual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A flow control unit or flow control digit.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, networking, physical-sciences, sciences
Examples
- header flit
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To move about rapidly and nimbly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To move quickly from one location to another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To unpredictably change state for short periods of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics
Examples
- My blender flits because the power cord is damaged.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To move house (sometimes a sudden move to avoid debts).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To move a tethered animal to a new grazing location.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To be unstable; to be easily or often moved.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 13
a secret move (to avoid paying debts)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- they did a moonlight flit
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move, relocation
noun
Meaning 14
a sudden quick movement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dart
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: motion, movement, move, motility
verb
Meaning 15
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The hummingbird flitted among the branches
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: flutter, fleet, dart
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: travel rapidly, speed, hurry, zip
Narrower terms: butterfly
History
Etymology
From Middle English flitten, flytten, from Old Norse flytja (“to move”), from Proto-Germanic *flutjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow; run”). Cognate Icelandic flytja, Swedish flytta, Danish flytte, Norwegian flytte, Faroese flyta. Compare also Saterland Frisian flitskje (“to rush; run quickly”).
Short for fl(ow control un)it or fl(ow control dig)it.
Across languages
Translations
31 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Czech: poletovat — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Esperanto: flirti — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: säntäillä — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: pyrähdellä — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: häilähtää — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: häilähdellä — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: vilahdella — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Finnish: liihotella — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- French: voltiger — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- French: voleter — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- French: papillonner — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Māori: kairērere — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Russian: порха́ть (porxátʹ) — to move about rapidly and nimbly
- Czech: pendlovat — to move quickly from one location to another
- Czech: poletovat — to move quickly from one location to another
- Czech: těkat — to move quickly from one location to another
- Czech: přelétávat — to move quickly from one location to another
- Finnish: sännätä — to move quickly from one location to another
- Finnish: pyrähtää — to move quickly from one location to another
- Finnish: vilahtaa — to move quickly from one location to another
- Finnish: liihotella — to move quickly from one location to another
- French: virevolter — to move quickly from one location to another
- German: gaukeln — to move quickly from one location to another
- Italian: svolazzare — to move quickly from one location to another
- Māori: tītakataka — to move quickly from one location to another
- Māori: pītakataka — to move quickly from one location to another
- Māori: kairērere — to move quickly from one location to another
- Russian: носи́ться (nosítʹsja) — to move quickly from one location to another
- Spanish: revolotear — to move quickly from one location to another
- Finnish: pätkiä — to unpredictably change state for short periods
- Russian: барахли́ть (baraxlítʹ) — to unpredictably change state for short periods