What does "flirt" mean?

1. (playful romantic behavior) to act in a playful way that shows you are romantically interested in someone, often just for fun. 2. (to consider an idea) to think about an idea or a plan for a short time without being very serious about it. 3. (a person who flirts) a person who enjoys behaving in a playful, romantic way with others. 4. (to move quickly) to move or wave something with a quick, sudden motion.

flirt

v. · n.

US //ˈfɫɝt// UK //flˈɜːt// flirt

1 playful romantic behavior (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to act in a playful way that shows you are romantically interested in someone, often just for fun.

to behave as though sexually attracted to someone, but typically in a playful or superficial manner rather than with serious intent.

Example

He was flirting with the waitress, but she just wanted to take his order.

Example

Although they were clearly flirting throughout the evening, neither party seemed inclined to pursue a more formal engagement.
- tease
- chat up
2 to consider an idea (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to think about an idea or a plan for a short time without being very serious about it.

to experiment with or show a superficial interest in an idea, project, or possibility. Often takes the preposition 'with'.

Example

The company is flirting with the idea of opening a new office in Paris.

Example

The administration has flirted with various tax reforms over the last decade, though none have progressed beyond the initial planning stages.
- toy with
- consider
- dabble
- commit

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3 a person who flirts (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a person who enjoys behaving in a playful, romantic way with others.

a person who habitually or characteristically engages in flirtatious behavior.

Example

Don't take his compliments too seriously; he is a well-known flirt.

Example

She gained a reputation as a harmless flirt, though her colleagues knew she was deeply devoted to her long-term partner.
- charmer
- coquette
4 to move quickly (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary

to move or wave something with a quick, sudden motion.

to move something with a sudden jerk or a quick, darting motion. Often used of birds or small animals moving their tails.

Example

The small bird flirted its tail as it hopped along the garden fence.

Example

The fan was flirted open with a sharp snap, momentarily obscuring the duchess's expression from the rest of the ballroom.

Origin

1553, from the merger of Early Modern English flirt (“to flick”), flurt (“to mock, jibe, scorn”), and flirt, flurt (“a giddy girl”). Of obscure origin and relation. Apparently related to similar words in Germanic, all of apparently onomatopoeic origin, compare Low German flirt (“a flick of the fingers, a light blow”), Low German flirtje (“a giddy girl”), Low German flirtje (“a flirt”), German Flittchen (“a flirt; tart; hussy”), Norwegian flira (“to giggle, titter”). Compare also Early Modern English jillflirt, gillian flirt, and flirt-gill (“a flirt”), and Scots flird (“a trifling", also, "to jibe, jeer at, talk idly, flirt, flaunt”), which is perhaps from Middle English flerd (“mockery, fraud, deception”), from Old English fleard (“nonsense, vanity, folly, deception”); potentially related to Icelandic flærð (“trickiness, deceit”), Swedish flärd (“vanity, frivolity, flamboyance”), Dutch flard (“tatter, shred”). See flird.