flutter

Word family

flut·ter1 /ˈflʌtə $ -ər/ verb

1 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]HBAHBI if a bird or insect flutters, or if it flutters its wings, it flies by moving its wings lightly up and down 振（翼），拍打（翅膀）

A small bird fluttered past the window.

一只小鸟拍打着翅膀飞过窗前。

2 [intransitiveI]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION to make small gentle movements in the air 〔在空中〕飘扬，飘动

Dead leaves fluttered slowly to the ground.

枯叶缓缓飘落到地上。

The flag fluttered in the light breeze.

旗帜在微风中飘动。

3. [intransitiveI]EXCITED if your heart or your stomach flutters, you feel very excited or nervous 〔心脏或胃因激动或紧张而〕悸动，颤抖

4 [intransitiveI] if your eyelids flutter, they move slightly when you are asleep 〔睡觉时眼皮〕颤动

Her eyelids fluttered but did not open.

她的眼皮动了一下，但眼睛没有睁开。

5. flutter your eyelashes (at somebody) SEXYif a woman flutters her eyelashes at a man, she looks at him and moves her eyes to make herself attractive to him 〔女子〕（朝某人）忽闪眼睫毛〔用来吸引男子注意〕

Examples from the Corpus

flutter your eyelashes (at somebody)• I began to flutter my eyelashes in a rather exaggerated way.

Examples from the Corpus

flutter• The paper didn't flutter about from side to side; it just went straight down.• Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower.• Flags from a hundred nations fluttered in the breeze.• When he tried to speak his eye fluttered shut and then sprang open again, that bright red persimmon clouding over.• The wind was blowing over the top of Jinny's head, fluttering the loose, short hairs round her forehead.• 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.

flutter2 noun [singular]

1 NERVOUSa feeling of being nervous, confused, or excited 紧张；困惑；激动

in a flutter

She was all in a flutter.

她浑身紧张。

His sudden resignation caused quite a flutter.

他突然辞职，引起了不小的骚动。

2 a flutter of something a sudden feeling that is not very strong 一阵〔不太强烈的〕感觉

She felt a flutter of curiosity.

她感到一阵好奇。

Examples from the Corpus

a flutter of something• I felt a flutter of fear at the base of my throat.• At the same instant he glimpsed a flutter of movement in one of the downstairs rooms.• A moment later we heard a splash and a squeal, more splashing, a flutter of duck, whoops of delight.• There was a flutter of paper as she put a note in his hand.

3 HBMOVE/CHANGE POSITIONa light gentle movement 〔轻缓的〕拍动，晃动

flutter of

a flutter of wings

翅膀的拍动

4. have a flutter British EnglishBrE informalDSHDL to risk a small amount of money on the result of something such as a horse race 〔赛马等时〕下一小笔赌注 SYN have a bet

Examples from the Corpus

have a flutter• I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.• She should never have fluttered the way she did.• Journos are invited to have a flutter with the cash.• I'm not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.

Examples from the Corpus

flutter• I felt a flutter of fear at the base of my throat.• 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.• 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.

in a flutter• A figure in fluttering black emerged, then vanished.

From Longman Business Dictionary

flutterflut·ter /ˈflʌtə-ər/ noun informal

have a flutter (on something) to risk a small amount of money on the result of a horse race, football game etcSYN BET, GAMBLE

Lots of people like to have a flutter on the lottery.

Origin flutter1

Old English floterian

flut·ter1 verbflutter2 noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus