flight

¹ American  

[flahyt] / flaɪt /

noun

1. the act, manner, or power of flying.

2. the distance covered or the course taken by a flying object.

   a 500-mile flight; the flight of the ball.

3. a trip by an airplane, glider, etc.

4. a scheduled trip on an airline.

   a 5 o'clock flight.

5. a number of beings or things flying or passing through the air together.

   a flight of geese.

   Synonyms:

   flock

6. the basic tactical unit of military air forces, consisting of two or more aircraft.

7. the act, principles, or technique of flying an airplane.

   flight training.

8. a journey into or through outer space.

   a rocket flight.

9. swift movement, transition, or progression.

   the flight of time.

   Synonyms:

   dash, rush

10. a soaring above or transcending ordinary bounds.

    a flight of fancy.

11. a series of steps between one floor or landing of a building and the next.

12. a sampling of several wines or beers, or of a particular type of food, for the purpose of comparative tasting.

    a customized wine flight for four people; a flight of appetizers.

13. Archery.

    1. flight arrow.

    2. the distance such an arrow travels when shot.

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verb (used without object)

1. (of wild fowls) to fly in coordinated flocks.

flight ² American  

[flahyt] / flaɪt /

noun

1. an act or instance of fleeing or running away; hasty departure.

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idioms

1. put to flight, to force to flee or run away; rout.

   She succeeded in putting the intruder to flight.

2. take flight, to retreat; run away; flee: Also take to flight.

   The wild animals took flight before the onrushing fire.

flight ¹ British  

/ flaɪt /

noun

1. the act, skill, or manner of flying

2. a journey made by a flying animal or object

3. 1. a scheduled airline journey

   2. an aircraft flying on such a journey

4. a group of flying birds or aircraft

   a flight of swallows

5. the basic tactical unit of a military air force

6. a journey through space, esp of a spacecraft

7. rapid movement or progress

8. a soaring mental journey above or beyond the normal everyday world

   a flight of fancy

9. 1. a single line of hurdles across a track in a race

   2. a series of such hurdles

10. a bird's wing or tail feather; flight feather

11. a feather or plastic attachment fitted to an arrow or dart to give it stability in flight

12. See flight arrow

13. the distance covered by a flight arrow

14. sport cricket

    1. a flighted movement imparted to a ball, dart, etc

    2. the ability to flight a ball

15. angling a device on a spinning lure that revolves rapidly

16. a set of steps or stairs between one landing or floor and the next

17. a large enclosed area attached to an aviary or pigeon loft where the birds may fly but not escape

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verb

1. (tr) sport to cause (a ball, dart, etc) to float slowly or deceptively towards its target

2. (intr) (of wild fowl) to fly in groups

3. (tr) to shoot (a bird) in flight

4. (tr) to fledge (an arrow or a dart)

flight ² British  

/ flaɪt /

noun

1. the act of fleeing or running away, as from danger

2. to cause to run away; rout

3. to run away or withdraw hastily; flee

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flight More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing flight

• put to flight
• take flight

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Etymology

Origin of flight¹

First recorded in before 900; Middle English; Old English flyht; cognate with Dutch vlucht; akin to fly ²

Origin of flight²

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English flight, flught, flyte, Old English fliht, flyht; cognate with German Flucht; akin to flee

Explanation

When a bird soars through the sky powered by its wings, that's flight, the process of traveling through the air. Humans can experience flight by getting on an airplane or trying out hang gliding. You can also describe each individual instance of flying as a flight: "I took a long flight to Sri Lanka this summer." Anything that's soaring through the air is in flight, especially if it has wings or is engineered to stay up there. As a noun, a flight is also one group or set of steps: "We had to carry her books up three flights of stairs."

Example Sentences

Boarding a connecting flight to Melbourne in Doha, the women told a reporter for the national broadcaster ABC they were excited to return home, saying Australia was "like paradise" to them.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Soaring jet fuel prices following the Iran war have also led airlines to hike up fares, increase baggage fees and reduce flight capacity right before peak travel season.

From Salon • May 7, 2026

Three women and eight children were reportedly aboard a Qatar Airways flight that arrived at Melbourne Airport from Doha.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

SpaceX had narrowly dodged bankruptcy in late 2008 after the first successful flight of its Falcon 1 rocket.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

From down in the bottoms I heard the shrill call of a bobwhite and the clammering cry of a kingfisher in flight.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• arrival
• departure
• shuttle
• transport
• trip