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

See Examples For:

flight

They had experienced only seven seasons in Division Two when they were promoted to the top flight for the first time in 1979.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Addie Kitson, 26, had been on a solo-holiday in China when her flight home from Chengdu was diverted to Sweden.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

One reader returning to California from Europe this week said he missed his connecting flight in Frankfurt despite a 75-minute cushion between flights.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The people I spoke with on my cross-country flight were all different.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Around the gate, every chair is full, and passengers for the next outgoing flight are standing shoulder to shoulder as those deplaning from mine grumble into the makeshift lounge.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• arrival
• departure
• shuttle
• transport
• trip