[flute] n [ME floute, fr. MF fleute, fr. OF flaute, prob. fr. OProv flaut] (14c) 1 a: recorder 3 b: a keyed woodwind instrument consisting of a cylindrical tube which is stopped at one end and which has a side hole over which air is blown to produce the tone and having a range from middle C upward for three octaves
2: something long and slender: as a: a tall slender wineglass b: a grooved pleat (as on a hat brim)
3: a rounded groove; specif: one of the vertical parallel grooves on a classical architectural column -- flute.like adj -- fluty or flut.ey adj
[2]flute vb flut.ed ; flut.ing vi (14c) 1: to play a flute
2: to produce a flutelike sound ~ vt 1: to utter with a flutelike sound
2: to form flutes in -- flut.er n