释义 |
▪ I. flit, n.1|flɪt| [f. next vb.] The action of flitting. a. A removal; spec. do a flit, to decamp. b. A light movement, as of a bird's wing; a flutter; a light touch. a.1835N. P. Willis in L'Estrange Friendships Miss Mitford (1882) I. 289 A flit from London and a visit to Reading. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v. Flit, ‘A moonlight flit’, a decampment by night with the furniture, to cheat the landlord. 1952M. Tripp Faith is Windsock vii. 108 They'll say I got windy and did a flit. 1964R. Braddon Year Angry Rabbit (1967) ii. 16 A fourth [daughter]..had cunningly got herself pregnant by the one pathologist in the team who was too honourable to do a flit. 1970Sunday Truth (Brisbane) 27 Dec. 16/3 They live on the generosity of the small country storekeeper, then do a flit. b.1873Miss Thackeray Old Kensington xii. 99 There was a vague flit and consternation in the darkness at the farther end of the room. 1877Blackmore Erema III. liv. 242 A flit of fancy touched me. 1880― Mary Anerley xxvi. Kneading it firmly with some rapid flits of thumb. c. (See quots. 1942.) Also attrib. or as adj. U.S. slang.
1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §405.2 Effeminate man,..Fauntleroy, flit, fuddyduddy. Ibid. §508.4 Male homosexual,..flit, four-letter man, fruit, fruiter. 1951J. D. Salinger Catcher in Rye xix. 170 Sometimes it was hard to believe, the people he said were flits and lesbians. 1964E. Lacy Pity Honest ii. 30 ‘Could he have been on the flit side?’ ‘Doubt that,..not that I'm any authority on queers.’ ▪ II. † flit, a. poet. Obs. Also flitt. [var. of fleet a., the form being influenced by flit v. Cf. also flight a.] a. Swift, nimble, quickly-moving. b. Fleeting, shifting; light, airy, unsubstantial. a.1590Spenser F.Q. ii. iv. 38 And in his hand two dartes exceeding flit, And deadly sharp, he held. Ibid. iii. xi. 39 Now, like a stag; now, like a faulcon flit. 1600Fairfax Tasso xiv. lxxii. 265 That flit birde that Ioues hot weapon beares. b.1590Spenser F.Q. iii. x. 57 On the rockes he fell so flit and light, That he thereby receiv'd no hurt at all. Ibid. iii. i. 56 Therewith a while she her flit fancy fedd. 1633P. Fletcher Purple Isl. vii. vii, Life it self's as flit as is the aire we breathe. ▪ III. flit, v.|flɪt| Forms: 3–4 flitten, Orm. flittenn, 3 flut(t)en, 3–6 flytt(e, 4–6 flyt(e, 4–9 flitt(e, (6 fliet), 4– flit. pa. tense 3 flutte, 4 flitt, 5 flette, flyt, 6 flit. pa. pple. 4 yflit, iflut, 7 flit, [ME. flitten, flutten, a. ON. flytja (Sw. flytta, Da. flytte), f. *flut- weak grade of the root of flióta: see fleet v.1] 1. trans. To remove, transport, or take away to another place; to transfer from one position to another; to remove (a person) from his house or habitation. Now chiefly Sc. or dial.
c1200Ormin 15648 To flittenn menn till heffness ærd Ut off þe defless walde. c1250Gen. & Ex. 1522 Ðat folk..deden him flitten hise ostel. c1374Chaucer Troylus v. 1544 As regnes shal ben flitted Fro folk to folk. c1375Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B.) 155 Þen þo prest flyttes his boke north to þat oþer auter noke. c1425Wyntoun Cron. vii. v. 181 A Towne Wes flyttyd out of þat ilke plas Quhare it fowndyt and byggyt was. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 3442 In to þat my body flitt. 1558in Balfour Practicks (1754) 106 Scho may not flit nor remove the tenentis, occupiaris of the samin. 1572Sempill Ball xxix. (1872) 152 That sum of thame mon flit thair kist. c1640J. Smyth Lives Berkeleys (1883) I. 155 This lord..exchanged, removed, and flitted part of his Cattle..from one manor to another. 1782Sir J. Sinclair Observ. Scot. Dial. 84 To Flit, to remove any thing in general, particularly furniture. 1807Overseer's Acct. in Rutland Gloss. (1891) s.v., For fliting sarah Hails 1s. 6d. 1861G. W. Dasent Burnt Njal II. 40 They flitted home their goods and laid up the ship. 1863Baring Gould Iceland 257 One fine afternoon he flitted his guest out to the island. b. spec. To shift (a tethered animal, occas. the tether) from one spot to another, when it has eaten all the grass within reach; hence, to tether. Also, to shift the position of (a sheep-fold).
1523Fitzherb. Husb. §18 To flyte it [the shepefolde] euery mornynge or nyght. Ibid. §148 Flytte hym [thy horse] as oft as thou wylt. 1786Burns Auld Farmer's New-Year Salut. xviii, Wi' tentie care I'll flit thy tether, To some hain'd rig. 1816Sir A. Boswell Skeldon Haughs 44 A Sow upon your land I'll tether..But deil a man o' Kyle shall flit her. 1881Leicester Gloss. s.v., The goot (goat) were flitted to the middle cloo'es-poost. †c. Of a boat, etc.: To serve to transport. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 25709 (Cott.) Penance is þat oþer bord, þat fletand flittes man ouer ford..it schal him hauen of merci win. 1375Barbour Bruce iii. 420 It [the bate] sa litill wes, that It Mycht our the wattir bot thresum flyt. d. Naut. (See quots., and fleet v.1 12.)
1750T. R. Blanckley Naval Expos., Flitting, altering or removing a dead Eye in the Low or Top-mast Shrouds and Backstays, either to lengthen or shorten them, is called Flitting. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §143 In this way we proceeded flitting the tackle and lowering till our anchor was grounded. Ibid. 158 Having so many times to stop, overhawl, and flit..the work could not go on very speedily. †2. To remove, get rid of (a thing); to drive away (an insect). Obs.
c1350Will. Palerne 623 Fele times haue ich fonded to flitte it fro þouȝt. c1400Rom. Rose 1812 So sore it stikid whan I was hit, That by no craft I might it flit. 1596Gosson Pleas. Quips 110 Fannes..To flit away the flisking flies. †3. To change the condition or direction of; to alter, cause to deviate or waver; to pervert (law). Obs.
c1200Ormin 13414 Ȝe sen þatt icc am flittedd nu Fra dæþ to lif onn erþe. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints, Lucia 279 Þar-with for to flit hyre thocht. 1393Gower Conf. III. 183 If he wolde flitte The lawe for the covetise. 14..Lydg. Temple of Glas 1248 Late not ȝoure corage ne ȝoure force fail, Ne non assautes ȝov flitten or remeve. †4. refl. To betake oneself, go, direct one's course. Obs.
c1200Ormin 15853 Uss birrþ aȝȝ Uss flittenn towarrd Criste. Ibid. 18038 Swa þatt teȝȝ..Wel sholldenn muȝhenn flitten hemm & ferrsenn fra þe defell. 13..in Horstmann Altengl. Leg. II. 97 Bot þou flit þe ferr, For his sake þou sal far (þe) werr. 5. intr. To shift one's position, either in a material or immaterial sense; to be gone, depart, pass away, remove. Also with away, or const. from, † of, out of, to.
c1200Ormin 12765 O þatt oþerr daȝȝ Toc Jesu Crist to flittenn Inntill þe land off Galile. a1240Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 251 Ferliche ha flutteð from þe heate in to þe chele. a1300Cursor M. 12487 (Cott.) Þan flitted þai vntil a tun Þat cleped was chaphar-naum. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 3762 When a man fra þis world sal flitte. c1400Rom. Rose 5359 Whan it [Richesse] failith, he [Love] wol flit. 1471Ripley Comp. Alch. iv. vii. in Ashm. (1652) 145 Out of thy mynde let not thys lesson flyt. 1529More Comf. agst. Trib. i. Wks. 1147/2 But yf our self flyt from hym. 1576Gosson Speculum Hum. in Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 76 His lyfe shall flit, when most he trustes the same. 1619J. Welsh in Wodr. Soc. Misc. 562 To flit owt of this lyfe. 1642H. More Song of Soul iii. ii. xliii, Nor is his masters knowledge from him flit Into his scholars head. 1695Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 38 The Sea frequently flitted and changed its place. 1790Burns Tam o' Shanter vii, Like the Borealis race, That flit ere you can point their place. 1858Froude Hist. Eng. III. xiii. 100 Towards the fall of the summer, clergy from the southern counties had been flitting northward. 1868Hawthorne Amer. Note-bks. (1879) II. 65 Our spirits must have flitted away unconsciously. †b. To depart, deviate, swerve from a custom, justice, law, etc. Obs.
c1200Ormin 13430 Ȝuw iss nu baþe god & ned..To flittenn o þiss oþerr daȝȝ Fra deofless & fra sinness. a1420Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 2704 To suche a jugge with⁓drawe the hope Of money, and he fro justice flittethe. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 7903 Fra alde custome þai walde noȝt flytt. 1571Campion Hist. Irel. xi. xi. (1633) 72 Vivian the legate..doth..excommunicate all those that flitte from the obeysance of the Kings of England. †c. Of a horseman: To lose his seat and fall to the ground. Obs.
1430Lydg. Chron. Troy i. ix, From his sadell..he made him flytte Downe to the ground. 1458in Turner Dom. Archit. III. 41 Som oute of her sadels flette to the grounde. a1605Montgomerie Misc. Poems xli. 51 Some perforce flittis On grund. †d. quasi-trans. To migrate from (a place); to change (places); to shift (one's camp, etc.).
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13654 Wyþ force he dide hem flitte þet stede. 1570Buchanan Chamæleon Wks. (1892) 52 The moist part flittit camp and went to Lynlythquow. 1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 139 Spirits change their Beings..far otherwise than bodies do when they flit places. 1715Roxb. Ball. VI. 620 While I have might, I will you fight, from Stirling flit your Den, Sir. 6. To remove from one habitation to another, change one's residence, ‘move’. Chiefly north. or Sc. (In proverbial expressions often opposed to sit.)
1504Plumpton Corr. 191, I will flitt at this next Mighelmas. a1553Udall Royster D. ii. iii. (Arb.) 36 Fast for to sitte and not oft to flitte. 1641Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 135 Theire desire..is to goe to theire newe masters eyther on a Tewsday, or on a Thursday; for..they say Munday flitte, Neaver sitte. 1721Kelly Scot. Prov. 105 Fools are fain of flitting, and wise Men of sitting. 1871C. Gibbon For Lack of Gold v, When you need to flit, there's a house of mine standing empty that you can take at any time. †7. To change from one state, condition, or direction to another; to alter, shift about, give way.
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋295 God..that may not chaunge and flitte. c1430How Wise Man tauȝt Son 116 in Babees Bk. (1868) 51 Neiþer hasti for to chaunge ne flitte. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxvi. 95 Of this fals failȝeand warld I tyre, That ever more flytis lyk ane phane. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 5 On a sandie hill, that still did flitt And fall away, it [the Pallace] mounted was full hie. a1605Montgomerie Misc. Poems xxxi. 58 If ȝe be constant, I sall neuer change; If ȝe be fickle, I am forc't to flitt. 1725Ramsay Gent. Sheph. ii. iv. (1875) 33 Your thoughts may flit, and I may thole the wrang. 1816Coleridge Statesm. Man. App. 35 The intellectual eyes of the Many flit, and are incapable of looking fixedly toward the God-like. b. Of a flame: To die down.
1839Marryat Phant. Ship xi, Like a candle burnt down to the socket, flitting and flaring alternately. 1887Swinburne Locrine i. i. 261 Thy smile is as a flame that plays and flits. 8. To move along, pass, proceed; to pass lightly or softly and (usually) with rapidity or suddenness. Often with adverbs, as about, away, by, to and fro, etc. Said both of material and immaterial things.
c1430Lydg. Bochas ii. vi. (1554) 42 b, Or that I any farther flitte..To diuines this matter I committe. c1440York Myst. xv. 34 Flitte faste ouere thees felles. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage iv. viii. (1614) 386 Forced to flee to the mountaines where he liued three months..flitting vp and downe with ten or twelue followers. 1618Bolton Florus Pref., The varietie of matter makes the minde abruptly flit from one thing to another. 1642H. More Song of Soul i. ii. v, Sith my wandring Bark so far is gone, And flitten forth upon the Ocean main. 1781Cowper Retirem. 192 The clouds that flit, or slowly float away. 1810Scott Lady of L. iii. xi, When flits this Cross from man to man. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xvi, Postmen..flit to and fro. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. xiii. (1874) 246, I seemed to see the various races who had occupied the spot flit by. 1864Tennyson Aylmer's F. 202 Unawares they flitted off, Busying them⁓selves about the flowerage. b. esp. Of a bird or other winged creature: To fly lightly and swiftly; also, to make short and swift flights, to flutter.
1535Coverdale 2 Esdras v. 6 And the foules shal flyt, and the Sodomitysh see shall cast out his fish. 1556J. Heywood Spider & F. liv. 34 Downe the flie againe flitth. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 42 Faire Pegasus that flitteth in the ayre. 1700Dryden Fables, Meleager & Atalanta 401 With wings endu'd..and sent to flit in air. 1817Campbell Poems, Reullura 17 The bat flits to and fro. 1864Tennyson En. Ard. 269 Like the caged bird escaping suddenly, The little innocent soul flitted away. c. Of time: To pass away.
1573Baret Alv. F 706 Time flitted away quickly. 1583Stanyhurst Aeneis i. (Arb.) 26 Hee shal bee the regent, vntil yeers thirtye be flitted. 1868Morris Earthly Par. I. 72 So smoothly o'er our heads the days did flit. †9. To sustain existence, to live by (i.e. upon). Obs.[Cf. ON. flytja to provide with necessaries (a fig. application of the original sense ‘to ferry, help forward’), whence refl. flytjask to maintain oneself.] a1225Ancr. R. 202 Al so ȝisceð a ȝissare þet moni þusunt muhten bi flutten [printed biflutten]. Ibid. 428 Non ancre seruant ne ouhte..uorto asken i-sette huire, bute mete & cloð þet heo mei vlutten bi. Hence † flit, ˈflitted, † ˈflitten ppl. a., that has gone away, departed.
1590Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 21 So hardly he the flitted life does win Unto her native prison to retourne. 1642H. More Song of Soul ii. ii. ii. xxxviii, The..flitten or shrunk spright. Ibid. ii. iii. i. xxix, All flit souls be not in the same taking. ▪ IV. flit var. of fleet v.2, to skim. |