flutter
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move wings or a light object quickly and irregularly.
v.to flap or wave with a light, rapid, and irregular motion; typically intransitive when describing natural movement.
Simple“The butterfly's wings began to flutter as it prepared to fly away.”
In context“A few dry leaves fluttered to the ground as the autumn breeze picked up speed across the garden.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to beat quickly or unevenly because you are excited or nervous.
v.to beat with an irregular or rapid rhythm, often due to physiological arousal or medical conditions like arrhythmia.
Simple“Her heart started to flutter when she saw her name on the list.”
In context“The patient reported that his heart would occasionally flutter during periods of intense physical exertion or stress.”
Synonymspalpitatethrob - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a quick feeling of excitement or worry.
n.a state of nervous excitement, agitation, or confusion.
Simple“I felt a flutter of nerves just before I walked onto the stage.”
In context“There was a flutter of activity in the office as the staff prepared for the unexpected arrival of the CEO.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a small bet on a race or a game.
n.a small speculative wager, typically on a horse race or sporting event.
Simple“He enjoys having a little flutter on the Grand National every year.”
In context“Despite not being a regular gambler, she decided to have a flutter on the outsider just for the sake of the tradition.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrase 'have a flutter'.
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a fast change in sound or light caused by a technical problem.
n.rapid variations in pitch or brightness caused by mechanical or electronic instability in recording or playback equipment.
Simple“The old cassette tape had a lot of flutter that ruined the music.”
In context“Engineers worked to minimise the flutter in the high-speed drive to ensure the data remained uncorrupted during the transfer process.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“The trickiest bits are the drum rolls, where you have to relax your wrists and let the sticks gently flutter up and down.”
“Soon enough, the instant he saw my fingers begin to flutter, his face would change, and he’d kick and squeal with excitement.”
From Middle English floteren, from Old English floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.