flutter

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: flut=ter

CIDE DICTIONARY

flutter, v. t. 

•  To vibrate or move quickly; as, a bird flutters its wings.  [1913 Webster]
•  To drive in disorder; to throw into confusion.  [1913 Webster]

  " Like an eagle in a dovecote, I
  Fluttered your Volscians in Corioli."  [1913 Webster]

flutter, n. 

•  The act of fluttering; quick and irregular motion; vibration; as, the flutter of a fan.  [1913 Webster]

  " The chirp and flutter of some single bird"  [1913 Webster]
•  Hurry; tumult; agitation of the mind; confusion; disorder.  Pope.  [1913 Webster]

Flutter wheel, a water wheel placed below a fall or in a chute where rapidly moving water strikes the tips of the floats; -- so called from the spattering, and the fluttering noise it makes.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

flutter, v. & n.
--v.
1 a intr. flap the wings in flying or trying to fly (butterflies fluttered in the sunshine). b tr. flap (the wings).
2 intr. fall with a quivering motion (leaves fluttered to the ground).
3 intr. & tr. move or cause to move irregularly or tremblingly (the wind fluttered the flag).
4 intr. go about restlessly; flit; hover.
5 tr. agitate, confuse.
6 intr. (of a pulse or heartbeat) beat feebly or irregularly.
7 intr. tremble with excitement or agitation.
--n.
1 a the act of fluttering. b an instance of this.
2 tremulous excitement; a sensation (was in a flutter; caused a flutter with his behaviour).
3 Brit. sl. a small bet, esp. on a horse.
4 an abnormally rapid but regular heartbeat.
5 Aeron. an undesired oscillation in a part of an aircraft etc. under stress.
6 Mus. a rapid movement of the tongue (as when rolling one's rs) in playing a wind instrument.
7 Electronics a rapid variation of pitch, esp. of recorded sound (cf. WOW(2)).
8 a vibration.

Idiom

flutter the dovecots cause alarm among normally imperturbable people.

Derivative

flutterer n. fluttery adj.

Etymology

OE floterian, flotorian, frequent. form rel. to FLEET(5)

THESAURUS

flutter

Bebung, addle, addle the wits, ado, agiotage, agitate, agitation, arbitrage, arrhythmia, asking price, ball up, barrage, bearish prices, beat, beat a ruffle, beat a tattoo, beating, becloud, bedazzle, befuddle, befuddlement, bewilder, bewilderment, bicker, bid price, birdies, blooping, blurping, bob, bobble, book value, bother, botheration, brandish, bug, bullish prices, burst, bustle, buying in, buzz about, call price, careen, chaos, closing price, cloud, coggle, commotion, confuse, confusion, dance, dancing, dangle, dash, daze, dazzle, decline, didder, discombobulate, discombobulation, discomfit, discomfiture, discompose, discomposure, disconcert, disconcertion, disorder, disorganization, disorganize, disorient, disorientation, disquiet, disquietude, distortion, disturb, disturbance, dither, dithers, drive, drum, drum music, drumbeat, drumfire, drumming, electrify, embarrass, embarrassment, entangle, equity capital, face value, falter, feedback, feery-fary, ferment, fidget, fidgetiness, fidgets, fit, fixed price, flap, flapping, flash price, flaunt, flick, flicker, flickering, flickering light, flier, flip, flip out, flit, flitter, float, flop, flourish, fluctuate, fluctuating, fluctuation, flummox, flurry, fluster, flusteration, flustration, flutteriness, fluttering, fly, fog, foofaraw, freak out on, frenzy, fret, fuddle, fuddlement, fuss, fussiness, get high on, glancing light, glow, go pitapat, gutter, haste, have the fidgets, have the shakes, haze, heartbeat, heartthrob, heave, heaving, helter-skelter, high, hissing, hover, howling, hubbub, hullabaloo, hum, hurry, hurry about, hurry-scurry, hustle, inquietude, issue par, issue price, jar, jerk, jolt, jumble, jump, lambency, lather, librate, light show, liquidation, low, lurch, maelstrom, make a fuss, market price, market value, maze, mess, mist, mix up, moider, motorboating, muddle, muddlement, nominal value, nutate, offering price, opening price, oscillate, oscillating, oscillation, palpitate, palpitation, pant, panting, par, par value, paradiddle, parity, patter, pendulate, perplexity, perturb, perturbation, pitapat, pitch, pitter-patter, play, play of light, plunge, pother, pound, pounding, price, profit taking, pucker, pulsate, pulsation, pulse, put out, put price, quake, quaking, quaver, quavering, quiver, quivering, quotation, quoted price, race, raise hell, rally, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, rat-tat-tat, rataplan, rattattoo, rattle, reel, resonate, restlessness, rhythm, rock, roll, round trade, rub-a-dub, ruff, ruffle, rumble, rush, rush about, rush around, scalping, scamper, scramble, scratching, scurry, scuttle, settling price, shake, shake up, shakes, shaking, shiver, shivers, shock, shredding, shudder, shuffle, slat, sound a tattoo, spasm, spatter, speculation, splatter, splutter, spot sale, spurt, sputter, squeals, squirm, staccato, stagger, stated value, static, stew, stir, stockjobbery, stockjobbing, swag, sway, sweat, swell, swell with emotion, swing, swings, swirl, swivet, tat-tat, tattoo, tear around, tempo, thrill, thrill to, throb, throbbing, throw into confusion, thrum, thump, thumping, tingle, tingle with excitement, tizzy, to-do, tom-tom, toss, toss and turn, tremble, trembling, tremolando, tremolant, tremolo, tremor, trepidation, trepidity, trill, trillet, trilleto, trillo, trouble, tumble, tumult, turn, turn on to, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, twitteration, undulate, unquiet, unrest, unsettle, unsettlement, upset, vacillate, vacillating, vacillation, venture, venture capital, vibrate, vibrato, vortex, wag, waggle, wave, waver, waving, whirl, whistles, whiz about, wield, wiggle, wigwag, wobble, woomping, wow, wowwows, wriggle, writhe

ROGET THESAURUS

flutter

Haste

N haste, urgency, despatch, dispatch, acceleration, spurt, spirt, forced march, rush, dash, speed, velocity, precipitancy, precipitation, precipitousness, impetuosity, brusquerie, hurry, drive, scramble, bustle, fuss, fidget, flurry, flutter, splutter, hasty, hurried, brusque, scrambling, cursory, precipitate, headlong, furious, boisterous, impetuous, hotheaded, feverish, fussy, pushing, in haste, in a hurry, in hot haste, in all haste, breathless, pressed for time, hard pressed, urgent, with haste, with all haste, with breathless speed, in haste, apace, amain, all at once, at short notice, immediately, posthaste, by cable, by express, by telegraph, by forced marches, hastily, precipitately, helter-skelter, hurry-skurry, holus-bolus, slapdash, slap-bang, full-tilt, full drive, heels over head, head and shoulders, headlong, a corps perdu, by fits and starts, by spurts, hop skip and jump, sauve qui peut, every man for himself, devil take the hindmost, no time to be lost, no sooner said than done, a word and a blow, haste makes waste, maggiore fretta minore atto, ohne Hast aber ohne Rast stand not upon the order, swift, swift, you dragons of the night.

VB haste, hasten, make haste, make a dash, hurry on, dash on, whip on, push on, press on, press forward, hurry, skurry, scuttle along, barrel along, bundle on, dart to and fro, bustle, flutter, scramble, plunge, plunge headlong, dash off, rush, express, bestir oneself, lose no time, lose not a moment, lose not an instant, make short work of, make the best of one's time, make the best of one's way, be precipitate, jump at, be in haste, be in a hurry, have no time, have not a moment to lose, have not a moment to spare, work against time, quicken, accelerate, expedite, put on, precipitate, urge, whip, railroad.

Changeableness

VB fluctuate, vary, waver, flounder, flicker, flitter, flit, flutter, shift, shuffle, shake, totter, tremble, vacillate, wamble, turn and turn about, ring the changes, sway to and fro, shift to and fro, change and change about, waffle, blow with the wind (irresolute), oscillate, vibrate between, two extremes, oscillate between, two extremes, alternate, have as man phases as the moon.

Feeling

N feeling, suffering, endurance, tolerance, sufferance, supportance, experience, response, sympathy, impression, inspiration, affection, sensation, emotion, pathos, deep sense, warmth, glow, unction, gusto, vehemence, fervor, fervency, heartiness, cordiality, earnestness, eagerness, empressement, gush, ardor, zeal, passion, enthusiasm, verve, furore, fanaticism, excitation of feeling, fullness of the heart, passion, ecstasy, blush, suffusion, flush, hectic, tingling, thrill, turn, shock, agitation, quiver, heaving, flutter, flurry, fluster, twitter, tremor, throb, throbbing, pulsation, palpitation, panting, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry of spirits, pother, stew, ferment, state of excitement, feeling, sentient, sensuous, sensorial, sensory, emotive, emotional, of feeling, with feeling, warm, quick, lively, smart, strong, sharp, acute, cutting, piercing, incisive, keen, keen as a razor, trenchant, pungent, racy, piquant, poignant, caustic, impressive, deep, profound, indelible, deep felt, home felt, heartfelt, swelling, soul-stirring, deep-mouthed, heart-expanding, electric, thrilling, rapturous, ecstatic, earnest, wistful, eager, breathless, fervent, fervid, gushing, passionate, warm-hearted, hearty, cordial, sincere, zealous, enthusiastic, glowing, ardent, burning, red-hot, fiery, flaming, boiling over, pervading, penetrating, absorbing, rabid, raving, feverish, fanatical, hysterical, impetuous, impressed with, moved with, touched with, affected with, penetrated with, seized with, imbued with, devoured by, wrought up, struck all of a heap, rapt, in a quiver, enraptured, heart and soul, from the bottom of one's heart, ab imo pectore, at heart, con amore, heartily, devoutly, over head and ears, head over heels, the heart big, the heart full, the heart swelling, the heart beating, the heart pulsating, the heart throbbing, the heart thumping, the heart beating high, the heart melting, the heart overflowing, the heart bursting, the heart breaking, the heart goes out, a heart as big as all outdoors (sympathy).

VB feel, receive an impression, be impressed with, entertain feeling, harbor feeling, cherish feeling, respond, catch the flame, catch the infection, enter the spirit of, bear, suffer, support, sustain, endure, thole, aby, abide, experience, taste, prove, labor under, smart under, bear the brunt of, brave, stand, swell, glow, warm, flush, blush, change color, mantle, turn color, turn pale, turn red, turn black in the face, tingle, thrill, heave, pant, throb, palpitate, go pitapat, tremble, quiver, flutter, twitter, shake, be agitated, be excited, look blue, look black, wince, draw a deep breath, impress.

Excitability

N excitability, impetuosity, vehemence, boisterousness, turbulence, impatience, intolerance, nonendurance, irritability, itching, wincing, disquiet, disquietude, restlessness, fidgets, fidgetiness, agitation, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry, fuss, flurry, fluster, flutter, pother, stew, ferment, whirl, buck fever, hurry-skurry, thrill, state of excitement, fever of excitement, transport, passion, excitement, flush, heat, fever, heat, fire, flame, fume, blood boiling, tumult, effervescence, ebullition, boiling over, whiff, gust, story, tempest, scene, breaking out, burst, fit, paroxysm, explosion, outbreak, outburst, agony, violence, fierceness, rage, fury, furor, furore, desperation, madness, distraction, raving, delirium, phrensy, frenzy, hysterics, intoxication, tearing passion, raging passion, anger, fascination, infatuation, fanaticism, Quixotism, Quixotry, tete montee, excitable, easily excited, in an excitable state, high-strung, irritable, impatient, intolerant, feverish, febrile, hysterical, delirious, mad, moody, maggoty- headed, unquiet, mercurial, electric, galvanic, hasty, hurried, restless, fidgety, fussy, chafing, startlish, mettlesome, high-mettled, skittish, vehement, demonstrative, violent, wild, furious, fierce, fiery, hot-headed, madcap, overzealous, enthusiastic, impassioned, fanatical, rabid, rampant, clamorous, uproarious, turbulent, tempestuous, tumultuary, boisterous, impulsive, impetuous, passionate, uncontrolled, uncontrollable, ungovernable, irrepressible, stanchless, inextinguishable, burning, simmering, volcanic, ready to burst forth, volatile, excited, exciting, Int, pish!, pshaw!, noli me tangere, filled with fury, rapt, inspir'd, maggiore fretta minore atto.

Fear

N fear, timidity, diffidence, want of confidence, apprehensiveness, fearfulness, solicitude, anxiety, care, apprehension, misgiving, feeze, mistrust, suspicion, qualm, hesitation, nervousness, restlessness, inquietude, disquietude, worry, concern, batophobia, heartquake, flutter, trepidation, fear and trembling, perturbation, tremor, quivering, shaking, trembling, throbbing heart, palpitation, ague fit, cold sweat, abject fear, mortal funk, heartsinking, despondency, despair, fright, affright, affrightment, boof alarm, dread, awe, terror, horror, dismay, consternation, panic, scare, stampede (of horses), intimidation, terrorism, reign of terror, bug bear, bugaboo, scarecrow, hobgoblin, nightmare, Gorgon, mormo, ogre, Hurlothrumbo, raw head and bloody bones, fee-faw-fum, bete noire, enfant terrible, alarmist, fearing, frightened, in fear, in a fright, haunted with the fear of, afeard, afraid, fearful, timid, timorous, nervous, diffident, coy, faint- hearted, tremulous, shaky, afraid of one's shadow, apprehensive, restless, fidgety, more frightened than hurt, aghast, awe-stricken, horror-stricken, terror-stricken, panic- stricken, awestruck, awe-stricken, horror-struck, frightened to death, white as a sheet, pale, pale as a ghost, pale as death, pale as ashes, breathless, in hysterics, inspiring fear, alarming, formidable, redoubtable, perilous, portentous, fearful, dread, dreadful, fell, dire, direful, shocking, terrible, terrific, tremendous, horrid, horrible, horrific, ghastly, awful, awe-inspiring, revolting, Gorgonian, in terrorem, Int, angels and ministers of grace defend us!, ante tubam trepidat, horresco referens, one's heart failing one, obstupui steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit, a dagger of the mind, expertus metuit, fain would I climb but that I fear to fall, fear is the parent of cruelty, Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire, omnia tuta timens, our fears do make us traitors.

VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.

Navigation

VB sail, put to sea, take ship, get under way, set sail, spread sail, spread canvas, gather way, have way on, make sail, carry sail, plow the waves, plow the deep, plow the main, plow the ocean, walk the waters, navigate, warp, luff, scud, boom, kedge, drift, course, cruise, coast, hug the shore, hug the land, circumnavigate, ply the oar, row, paddle, pull, scull, punt, steam, swim, float, buffet the waves, ride the storm, skim, effleurer, dive, wade, fly, be wafted, hover, soar, flutter, jet, orbit, rocket, take wing, take a flight, take off, ascend, blast off, land, alight, wing one's flight, wing one's way, aviate, parachute, jump, glide.

Agitation

N agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance, jactitation, quassation, shuffling, twitter, flicker, flutter, turbulence, perturbation, commotion, turmoil, disquiet, tumult, tumultuation, hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits, carphology, chorea, floccillation, the jerks, St. Vitus's dance, tilmus, spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion, disturbance, chaos, restlessness, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage, tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex, whirlwind, shaking, agitated tremulous, desultory, subsultory, saltatoric, quasative, shambling, giddy-paced, saltatory, convulsive, unquiet, restless, all of a twitter, by fits and starts, subsultorily, per saltum, hop skip and jump, in convulsions, in fits, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.