The room spun. Her eyelids fluttered (=moved up and down quickly) and she fainted.flutter1 verbflutter2 noun
flutterflut‧ter1 /ˈflʌtə $ -ər/ ●○○ verb 
WORD ORIGINflutter1
Origin:
Old English floterianVERB TABLE
flutter
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | flutter |
| he, she, it | flutters | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | fluttered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have fluttered |
| he, she, it | has fluttered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had fluttered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will flutter |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have fluttered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am fluttering |
| he, she, it | is fluttering | |
| you, we, they | are fluttering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was fluttering |
| you, we, they | were fluttering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been fluttering |
| he, she, it | has been fluttering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been fluttering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be fluttering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been fluttering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower.
- Flags from a hundred nations fluttered in the breeze.
- As he was studying it, something slid out from the pages and fluttered to the floor.
- At home as I emptied my backpack, a Slip of paper fluttered to the floor.
- Miriam had to shield the candle-flame with her hand as it fluttered wildly.
- The paper didn't flutter about from side to side; it just went straight down.
- The wind was blowing over the top of Jinny's head, fluttering the loose, short hairs round her forehead.
- When he tried to speak his eye fluttered shut and then sprang open again, that bright red persimmon clouding over.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The room spun. Her eyelids fluttered (=moved up and down quickly) and she fainted.
The room spun. Her eyelids fluttered (=moved up and down quickly) and she fainted. (=move them quickly)· I heard some birds fluttering their wings outside the window.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· The curtains were long and gauzy, fluttering in a slight breeze.· Troops have already cordoned off the surrounding area with white mine tape, which flutters in the slight breeze.· Leave the bow tails long, so they flutter in the breeze when windows are open.· I seemed to hear trumpets and see colourful flags and standards fluttering in the sea breeze.
· I began to flutter my eyelashes in a rather exaggerated way.
· Lady Merchiston's eyelids fluttered, but did not fully open.· Her eyelids drooped, fluttered, and then drooped again.· His eyelids were already fluttering into sleep.
· In peace and war, the Union Flag has fluttered above the main entrance.· At the border, swastika flags fluttered from passport control and police sauntered to the car to demand identification.· I seemed to hear trumpets and see colourful flags and standards fluttering in the sea breeze.
· Her heart was fluttering in her chest.· My heart began to flutter as I lowered the heavy pyx into my pouch.· The machines can only be effective if the heart is fluttering rather than completely still, she said.· Yet her heart fluttered anxiously inside her as she said it.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1[intransitive, transitive] if a bird or insect flutters, or if it flutters its wings, it flies by moving its wings lightly up and down: - I began to flutter my eyelashes in a rather exaggerated way.
- I began to flutter my eyelashes in a rather exaggerated way.
A small bird fluttered past the window.2[intransitive] to make small gentle movements in the air: Dead leaves fluttered slowly to the ground. The flag fluttered in the light breeze.3[intransitive] if your heart or your stomach flutters, you feel very excited or nervous4[intransitive] if your eyelids flutter, they move slightly when you are asleep: Her eyelids fluttered but did not open.5flutter your eyelashes (at somebody) if a woman flutters her eyelashes at a man, she looks at him and moves her eyes to make herself attractive to himflutter1 verbflutter2 noun
flutterflutter2 noun [singular] EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- A moment later we heard a splash and a squeal, more splashing, a flutter of duck, whoops of delight.
- During this the right wing broke up - probably due to aileron flutter - and Bayles was killed.
- I felt a flutter of fear at the base of my throat.
- The great naming curses flutter into the bland night.
- When next Fabia heard footsteps coming in her direction her heart again gave a nervous flutter.
Longman Language Activatorto gamble
to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Eddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.gamble away something/gamble something away (=waste a lot of money by gambling): · Roger gambled away all his money in a Las Vegas casino.· She inherited $50,000 but gambled it away.
when you try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Is gambling legal here?· Your Uncle Maury has a gambling problem.· Crane admits that he is addicted to gambling.· He was against the introduction of a National Lottery as he thought it might encourage gambling.
to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or game: · I don't bet very often.bet on something/have a bet on something (=gamble money on the result of a race or game): · We usually have a bet on the Grand Prix.· Rogers was not much of a gambler. When he bet on the horses, he almost always lost.bet £10/$100 etc on something: · Jerry bet $1000 on the game.place a bet (=say which horse, team, competition etc you want to gamble on and pay the money that you want to gamble): · I've placed a bet on a horse in the next race.· All bets must be placed before the start of the race.
to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competition: · I put $20 on the Cowboys to win.· He put £50 on Middlesborough to beat Manchester United at odds of 3-1.put a bet on something (=gamble on a horse, game etc): · I think I'll put a bet on the next race.
to gamble money on a particular horse, team, or person that you think will win a particular competition: · We backed a horse named Travelling Light that finished first at 10-1.back something/somebody to win something: · Uncle Barry backed Arsenal to win the FA Cup.
to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing, for example cards: · "Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?" he said as he approached the pool table.· You're allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.
British informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race - use this especially about someone who does not gamble very often: · I'm not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.have a flutter on: · I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
to lose money by not guessing correctly the result of a game, race, or competition: · He claims that he lost the money on a dice game.· I lost a lot of money on the dogs last night.
to win money by correctly guessing the result of a game, race, or competition: · I heard that he won a lot of money on the Superbowl a few years ago.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The room spun. Her eyelids fluttered (=moved up and down quickly) and she fainted.
The room spun. Her eyelids fluttered (=moved up and down quickly) and she fainted. (=move them quickly)· I heard some birds fluttering their wings outside the window.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1a feeling of being nervous, confused, or excitedin a flutter- A moment later we heard a splash and a squeal, more splashing, a flutter of duck, whoops of delight.
- At the same instant he glimpsed a flutter of movement in one of the downstairs rooms.
- I felt a flutter of fear at the base of my throat.
- There was a flutter of paper as she put a note in his hand.
- I'm not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.
- I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
- Journos are invited to have a flutter with the cash.
- She should never have fluttered the way she did.
- I began to flutter my eyelashes in a rather exaggerated way.
She was all in a flutter. His sudden resignation caused quite a flutter.2a flutter of something a sudden feeling that is not very strong: She felt a flutter of curiosity.3a light gentle movementflutter of a flutter of wings4have a flutter British English informal to risk a small amount of money on the result of something such as a horse race SYN have a bet- forehand
- forehead
- foreign
- foreign affairs
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- foreigner
- foreign exchange
- Foreign Legion
- foreignness
- Foreign Office
- Foreign Secretary
- Foreign Service
- foreknowledge
- foreleg
- forelock
- foreman
- Foreman, George
- foremost
- forename
- forensic
- forensics
- foreplay
- forerunner
- foresee
- foreseeable