flutter
verb /ˈflʌtə(r)/
/ˈflʌtər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they flutter | /ˈflʌtə(r)/ /ˈflʌtər/ |
| he / she / it flutters | /ˈflʌtəz/ /ˈflʌtərz/ |
| past simple fluttered | /ˈflʌtəd/ /ˈflʌtərd/ |
| past participle fluttered | /ˈflʌtəd/ /ˈflʌtərd/ |
| -ing form fluttering | /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/ /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to move lightly and quickly; to make something move in this way
- Flags fluttered in the breeze.
- Her eyelids fluttered but did not open.
- (figurative) He felt his stomach flutter (= he felt nervous) when they called his name.
- flutter something He fluttered his hands around wildly.
- She fluttered her eyelashes at him (= tried to attract him in order to persuade him to do something).
Extra Examples- The first snowflakes fluttered down between the trees.
- A silk scarf fluttered around her shoulders.
- The bank note fluttered away in the breeze.
- [intransitive, transitive] flutter (something) when a bird or an insect flutters its wings, or its wings flutter, the wings move lightly and quickly up and down
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. (of a bird or an insect) to fly somewhere moving the wings quickly and lightly
- The butterfly fluttered from flower to flower.
Extra Examples- A bird fluttered to the ground.
- The butterfly fluttered away.
- A couple of little birds fluttered around in the garden.
- The birds fluttered nervously in their cage.
- [intransitive] (of your heart, etc.) to beat very quickly and not regularly
- I could feel a fluttering pulse.
- (figurative) The sound of his voice in the hall made her heart flutter.
Word OriginOld English floterian, flotorian, a frequentative form related to fleet ‘move or pass quickly’.