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flickers - 5 dictionary results

flick⋅er

1  [flik-er]
Use flickers in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light: The candle flickered in the wind and went out.
2. to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver: The long grasses flickered in the wind.
3. to flutter.
–verb (used with object)
4. to cause to flicker.
–noun
5. an unsteady flame or light.
6. a flickering movement.
7. a brief occurrence or appearance: a flicker of hope.
8. Often, flickers. Slang. flick 2 .
9. Ophthalmology. the visual sensation of flickering that occurs when the interval between intermittent flashes of light is too long to permit fusion.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME flikeren (v.) OE flicorian to flutter; c. D flikkeren

Related forms:
flick⋅er⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
flick⋅er⋅y, adjective

Synonyms:
1. flare, flash, gleam, shimmer.

flick⋅er

2  [flik-er]
–noun
any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes, having the underside of the wings and tail brightly marked with yellow or red and noted for taking insects from the ground as well as trees.
Origin:
1800–10, Americanism; said to be imit. of the bird's note

flick

2  [flik]
–noun Slang.
a motion picture.
Also, flicker.

Origin:
1925–30; shortening of flicker 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To flickers
flick·er 1   (flĭk'ər)   
v.   flick·ered, flick·er·ing, flick·ers

v.   intr.
  1. To move waveringly; flutter: shadows flickering on the wall.
  2. To burn unsteadily or fitfully.
v.   tr.
To cause to move waveringly.
n.  
  1. A brief movement; a tremor.
  2. An inconstant or wavering light.
  3. A brief or slight sensation: a flicker of doubt.
  4. Slang A movie.

[Middle English flikeren, to flutter, from Old English flicerian.]
flick·er 2   (flĭk'ər)   
n.  Any of various large North American woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes, especially C. auratus, the common flicker, having a brown back, spotted breast, and white rump.

[Perhaps from flick1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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