flit
pronunciation
How to pronounce flit in British English:
UK [flɪt]
How to pronounce flit in American English:
US [flɪt]
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- Noun:
- a sudden quick movement
- a secret move (to avoid paying debts)
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- Verb:
- move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
Word Origin
- flit
- flit: see float
- flit (v.)
- c. 1200, flitten, flytten, flutten "convey, move (a thing) from one place to another, take, carry away," also intransitive, "go away, move, migrate," from Old Norse flytja "to remove, bring," from Proto-Germanic *flutjan- "to float," from extended form of PIE *pleu- "to flow" (see pluvial). Intransitive sense "move lightly and swiftly" is from early 15c.; from c. 1500 as "remove from one habitation to another" (originally Northern English and Scottish)Theire desire ... is to goe to theire newe masters eyther on a Tewsday, or on a Thursday; for ... they say Munday flitte, Neaver sitte. [Henry Best, farming & account book, 1641] Related: Flitted; flitting. As a noun, "a flitting, a removal," from 1835.
Example
- 1. What thoughts flit across your mind ?
- 2. I heard the anger flit in and out of her voice ending with an incredulous tone .
- 3. You watch your thoughts , perceptions , and emotions flit through your mind without getting involved .
- 4. But particularly when we are lying , " microexpressions " of powerfully-felt emotions will invariably flit across our faces before we get a chance to stop them .
- 5. I flit I float , I fleetly flee I fly .