Advertisement
Advertisement
flutter
[ fluht-er ]
verb (used without object)
- to wave, flap, or toss about:
Banners fluttered in the breeze.
- to flap the wings rapidly; fly with flapping movements.
- to move in quick, irregular motions; vibrate.
- to beat rapidly, as the heart.
- to be tremulous or agitated.
- to go with irregular motions or aimless course:
to flutter back and forth.
verb (used with object)
- to cause to flutter; vibrate; agitate.
- to throw into nervous or tremulous excitement; cause mental agitation; confuse.
noun
- a fluttering movement:
He made little nervous flutters with his hands.
- a state of nervous excitement or mental agitation:
a flutter of anticipation.
- Audio. a variation in pitch resulting from rapid fluctuations in the speed of a recording. Compare wow 2( def 1 ).
- Chiefly British. a small wager or speculative investment.
flutter
/ ˈflʌtə /
verb
- to wave or cause to wave rapidly; flap
- intr (of birds, butterflies, etc) to flap the wings
- intr to move, esp downwards, with an irregular motion
- intr pathol (of the auricles of the heart) to beat abnormally rapidly, esp in a regular rhythm
- to be or make nervous or restless
- intr to move about restlessly
- swimming to cause (the legs) to move up and down in a flutter kick or (of the legs) to move in this way
- informal.tr to wager or gamble (a small amount of money)
noun
- a quick flapping or vibrating motion
- a state of nervous excitement or confusion
- excited interest; sensation; stir
- informal.a modest bet or wager
- pathol an abnormally rapid beating of the auricles of the heart (200 to 400 beats per minute), esp in a regular rhythm, sometimes resulting in heart block
- electronics a slow variation in pitch in a sound-reproducing system, similar to wow but occurring at higher frequencies
- a potentially dangerous oscillation of an aircraft, or part of an aircraft, caused by the interaction of aerodynamic forces, structural elastic reactions, and inertia
- swimming See flutter kick
- Also calledflutter tonguing music a method of sounding a wind instrument, esp the flute, with a rolling movement of the tongue
Discover More
Derived Forms
- ˈflutterer, noun
- ˈflutteringly, adverb
Discover More
Other Words From
- flutter·er noun
- flutter·ing·ly adverb
- un·fluttered adjective
- un·flutter·ing adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of flutter1
Discover More
Synonym Study
Discover More
Example Sentences
There are ghosts that may flutter above the stage at the Met.
Farrow smiles and butterflies flutter and stars shoot across the night sky.
It started off small: a hint of annoyance here, a flutter of incredulity there.
There are no red carpets and you just flutter about watching films.
Just as suddenly she was gone, leaving a flutter of red curtains.
They generally flutter for two or three minutes about the most elevated point of any object, and then disappear.
Oh, Ive had it out and felt behind it, urged Miss Carrington, all of a flutter now.
There was a note in her voice of such absolute sincerity, mingled with fear, that he opened his arms and let her flutter away.
It is why they have black wings and tails, why they flutter so with joy, and why they never finish their song.
He half expected a check to fall fluttering to the floor; but alas, there was not a single flutter.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse