Phrase guide

flutter in the dovecote

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌflʌtə ɪn‿ðə ˈdʌvkɒt/
  • General-American: /ˌflʌtɚ ɪn‿ðə ˈdʌvkɑt/
  • General-American: [-ɾɚ-]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A disturbance, usually one caused within a group of people who are generally placid and unexcited.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Probably from flutter the dovecote, possibly from Coriolanus (written c. 1608–1609; published 1623) by the English playwright William Shakespeare (1564–1616), Act V, scene vi (spelling modernized): “[L]ike an eagle in a dovecote, I / Fluttered your Volcians in Corioles.”

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: opwinding — disturbance, usually one caused within a group of people who are generally placid and unexcited — see also disturbance
  • Finnish: hälinä — disturbance, usually one caused within a group of people who are generally placid and unexcited — see also disturbance
  • Polish: zamieszanie — disturbance, usually one caused within a group of people who are generally placid and unexcited — see also disturbance
  • Russian: переполо́х в курятнике (perepolóx v kurjatnike) — disturbance, usually one caused within a group of people who are generally placid and unexcited — see also disturbance