flight

1
[ flahyt ]
See synonyms for: flightflightedflighting on Thesaurus.com

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.

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

  2. a scheduled trip on an airline: a 5 o'clock flight.

  3. a number of beings or things flying or passing through the air together: a flight of geese.

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

  5. the act, principles, or technique of flying an airplane: flight training.

  6. a journey into or through outer space: a rocket flight.

  7. swift movement, transition, or progression: the flight of time.

  8. a soaring above or transcending ordinary bounds: a flight of fancy.

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

  10. 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.

  11. Archery.

verb (used without object)
  1. (of wild fowls) to fly in coordinated flocks.

Origin of flight

1
First recorded in before 900; Middle English; Old English flyht; cognate with Dutch vlucht; akin to fly2

Other words for flight

Words Nearby flight

Other definitions for flight (2 of 2)

flight2
[ flahyt ]

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

Origin of flight

2
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English flight, flught, flyte, Old English fliht, flyht; cognate with German Flucht; akin to flee

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use flight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flight (1 of 2)

flight1

/ (flaɪt) /


noun
  1. the act, skill, or manner of flying

  2. a journey made by a flying animal or object

    • a scheduled airline journey

    • an aircraft flying on such a journey

  1. a group of flying birds or aircraft: a flight of swallows

  2. the basic tactical unit of a military air force

  3. a journey through space, esp of a spacecraft

  4. rapid movement or progress

  5. a soaring mental journey above or beyond the normal everyday world: a flight of fancy

    • a single line of hurdles across a track in a race

    • a series of such hurdles

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

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

  8. the distance covered by a flight arrow

  9. sport, esp cricket

    • a flighted movement imparted to a ball, dart, etc

    • the ability to flight a ball

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

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

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

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

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

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

Origin of flight

1
Old English flyht; related to Middle Dutch vlucht, Old Saxon fluht

British Dictionary definitions for flight (2 of 2)

flight2

/ (flaɪt) /


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

  2. put to flight to cause to run away; rout

  1. take flight or take to flight to run away or withdraw hastily; flee

Origin of flight

2
Old English flyht (unattested); related to Old Frisian flecht, Old High German fluht, Old Norse flōtti

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with flight

flight

In addition to the idioms beginning with flight

  • flight of fancy

also see:

  • put to flight
  • take flight

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.