FLUTTER


Meaning of FLUTTER in English

v. & n.

--v.

1. a intr. flap the wings in flying or trying to fly (butterflies fluttered in the sunshine). b tr. flap (the wings).

2 intr. fall with a quivering motion (leaves fluttered to the ground).

3 intr. & tr. move or cause to move irregularly or tremblingly (the wind fluttered the flag).

4 intr. go about restlessly; flit; hover.

5 tr. agitate, confuse.

6 intr. (of a pulse or heartbeat) beat feebly or irregularly.

7 intr. tremble with excitement or agitation.

--n.

1. a the act of fluttering. b an instance of this.

2 tremulous excitement; a sensation (was in a flutter; caused a flutter with his behaviour).

3 Brit. sl. a small bet, esp. on a horse.

4 an abnormally rapid but regular heartbeat.

5 Aeron. an undesired oscillation in a part of an aircraft etc. under stress.

6 Mus. a rapid movement of the tongue (as when rolling one's rs) in playing a wind instrument.

7 Electronics a rapid variation of pitch, esp. of recorded sound (cf. WOW(2)).

8 a vibration.

Phrases and idioms:

flutter the dovecots cause alarm among normally imperturbable people.

Derivatives:

flutterer n. fluttery adj.

Etymology: OE floterian, flotorian, frequent. form rel. to FLEET(5)

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.