[fleet] vb [ME fleten, fr. OE fleotan; akin to OHG fliozzan to float, OE flowan to flow] vi (bef. 12c) 1 obs: drift
2. a archaic: flow b: to fade away: vanish 3 [[3]fleet]: to fly swiftly ~ vt: to cause (time) to pass usu. quickly or imperceptibly
[2]fleet n [ME flete, fr. OE fleot ship, fr. fleotan] (13c) 1: a number of warships under a single command; specif: an organization of ships and aircraft under the command of a flag officer
2: group 2a, b; esp: a group (as of ships, planes, or trucks) operated under unified control [3]fleet adj [prob. fr. [1]fleet] (ca. 1529) 1: swift in motion: nimble
2: evanescent, fleeting syn see fast -- fleet.ly adv -- fleet.ness n