flutter

[ fluht-er ]

verb (used without object)

1. to wave, flap, or toss about:

   Banners fluttered in the breeze.

2. to flap the wings rapidly; fly with flapping movements.
3. to move in quick, irregular motions; vibrate.
4. to beat rapidly, as the heart.
5. to be tremulous or agitated.
6. to go with irregular motions or aimless course:

   to flutter back and forth.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to flutter; vibrate; agitate.
2. to throw into nervous or tremulous excitement; cause mental agitation; confuse.

noun

1. a fluttering movement:

   He made little nervous flutters with his hands.

2. a state of nervous excitement or mental agitation:

   a flutter of anticipation.

   Synonyms: dither, stir, twitter, flurry

3. flutter kick.
4. Audio. a variation in pitch resulting from rapid fluctuations in the speed of a recording. Compare wow ²( def 1 ).
5. Chiefly British. a small wager or speculative investment.

flutter

/ ˈflʌtə /

verb

1. to wave or cause to wave rapidly; flap
2. intr (of birds, butterflies, etc) to flap the wings
3. intr to move, esp downwards, with an irregular motion
4. intr pathol (of the auricles of the heart) to beat abnormally rapidly, esp in a regular rhythm
5. to be or make nervous or restless
6. intr to move about restlessly
7. swimming to cause (the legs) to move up and down in a flutter kick or (of the legs) to move in this way
8. informal.
   tr to wager or gamble (a small amount of money)

noun

1. a quick flapping or vibrating motion
2. a state of nervous excitement or confusion
3. excited interest; sensation; stir
4. informal.
   a modest bet or wager
5. pathol an abnormally rapid beating of the auricles of the heart (200 to 400 beats per minute), esp in a regular rhythm, sometimes resulting in heart block
6. electronics a slow variation in pitch in a sound-reproducing system, similar to wow but occurring at higher frequencies
7. a potentially dangerous oscillation of an aircraft, or part of an aircraft, caused by the interaction of aerodynamic forces, structural elastic reactions, and inertia
8. swimming See flutter kick
9. Also calledflutter tonguing music a method of sounding a wind instrument, esp the flute, with a rolling movement of the tongue

Derived Forms

• ˈflutterer, noun
• ˈflutteringly, adverb

Other Words From

• flutter·er noun
• flutter·ing·ly adverb
• un·fluttered adjective
• un·flutter·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flutter¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English floteren, Old English floterian, frequentative of flotian “to float ”

Word History and Origins

Origin of flutter¹

Old English floterian to float to and fro; related to German flattern ; see float

Synonym Study

See fly ².

Example Sentences

At 60, the sinewy Harbaugh is as fit as any head coach in the game, and his heart issues — diagnosed as atrial flutter — are not indisputably attributable to the stress of the game.

From Los Angeles Times

A cardiologist appointment Monday confirmed the 60-year-old experienced a third episode of atrial flutter, a heart rhythm disorder he first faced in 1999.

From Los Angeles Times

Coach Jim Harbaugh experienced his third episode of atrial flutter in his heart during the Chargers’ game at Denver but had not had an issue in 12 years.

From Los Angeles Times

But the arrhythmia — diagnosed as an atrial flutter — resurfaced in more dramatic fashion during pregame warmups, prompting him to briefly duck into the blue medical tent on the sideline then head for the locker room flanked by team medical personnel.

From Los Angeles Times

After his two previous episodes of atrial flutter, Harbaugh underwent ablations, which are minimally invasive procedures that treat irregular heartbeats by destroying heart tissue that causes abnormal electrical signals.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• drift
• flicker
• flit
• flop
• hover
• quiver
• shiver
• throb
• tremble
• vibrate
• wiggle
• wobble