I. ˈflīt, usu -īd.+V noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English flyht; akin to Middle Dutch vlucht flight, Old English flēogan to fly — more at fly
1.
a. : the act or mode of passing through the air by the use of wings
the flight of a bee
the flight of bats
b. : ability to fly
flight is natural to birds
c. : the extent of a flight
a flight of many hours
a flight of 100 miles
sometimes : an instance of the flying of a hawk or falcon in pursuit of game
2.
a. : a passing or mode of passing through the air analogous (as in duration or distance) to that of a winged creature : a journey or voyage through the air
the flight of a balloon
an arrow's swift flight
also : a passing through space beyond the earth's atmosphere
flight of a rocket
b. : a swift passage (as of time)
3.
a. obsolete : a bird's wing
b. : flight feather — usually used in plural
4. : a scheduled trip of an airplane
on a 9 o'clock flight to St. Louis
5. : a member of similar beings or things passing through or capable of passing through the air together: as
a.
(1) : a flock of birds especially when flying or migrating together ; broadly : the birds engaging in a particular migration
the spring flight of geese on the eastern flyway was unusually large
(2) : the young birds produced by a nesting colony in one season especially when about to fledge or newly fledged
b. : a swarm of insects
c. : a volley of arrows or other missiles
loosed a swift flight of arrows
d. : a group of angels
e. : a number of competitors (as in a sport) grouped together on the basis of demonstrated skill or ability or for purposes of elimination contests prior to a final test
f.
(1) : a flight formation usually made up of at least four airplanes ; also : a larger formation made up of two or more such formations
(2) : a parade formation made up of two or more squads
6. : an act or instance of passing above or beyond ordinary bounds : a mounting or soaring especially of mind or spirit
flights of fancy
soaring flights of intellect
7.
a.
(1) : a continuous series of stairs from one landing to the next
(2) : one or more of such series making the whole ascent from one floor to another
(3) : floor , story
b. : a series (as of canal locks, terraces, or hurdles) resembling a flight of stairs
8. : the tail of the clapper of a bell
9. : the range of an arrow
10. : a vane or flat plate on an endless belt or chain in a conveyor or elevator
11.
a. : flyboat
b. : a sudden sharp rise in the lines of a vessel or any of its parts
12. : a pen or cage large enough for birds to fly freely in
13. cricket : ability to flight
II. adjective
obsolete : fleet
III. ˈflīt, usu -īd.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1. of birds , especially waterfowl : to rise from or settle on resting or feeding grounds in a flock
every evening the geese flight on the marsh
2. of birds : to fly in flocks (as in migrating)
hundreds of starlings flighted toward the town
transitive verb
1. : to cause (waterfowl) to fly up from resting or feeding grounds or to shoot (waterfowl) while rising from such places
2. : to put feathers on (an arrow) : fletch
3. : to impart to (a cricket ball) a trajectory intended to make difficult a batsman's judgment of length
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, fluht, fliht; akin to Old Frisian flecht flight (act of fleeing), Old Saxon & Old High German fluht, Old Norse flōtti, Gothic thlauhs; derivatives from the root of Old English flēon to flee — more at flee
1.
a. : an act or instance of running away (as to escape danger)
fain by flight to save themselves — Shakespeare
his flight was not discovered until the next day
b. : withdrawal or sudden transfer of capital (as from an enterprise or from one currency to another) to avoid risk or loss
the flight of capital that results from an unstable currency
2. : means of escape
V. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. obsolete : to put to flight : rout
2. archaic : frighten
VI. noun
: a selection of wines for tasting as a group
wines are tasted blind and organized into flights by style and region — Jeff Morgan